


Teach Me

by o0Alien0o



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fingering, Hand Jobs, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, Mutual Masturbation, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Public Sex, Rough Kissing, Sex Education, Sexual Humor, Spanking, Teacher-Student Relationship, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:42:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 86,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8918227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/o0Alien0o/pseuds/o0Alien0o
Summary: What does Sakura do when she needs a lesson in sexual education? Calls upon her favorite teacher for help, of course!





	1. Prologue

**Teach Me**

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Sakura angrily kicked at the punching bag, unsatisfied by the thump it made. She repeated the kick, harder this time and the massive chain holding the bag up from the floor quivered and shook under the force. Gritting her teeth, she punched with her left, then right and gave a high kick to the chains, sending the bag tumbling and rolling across the floor.

  
The rain pelting the gym windows came in thick sheets and matched her mood perfectly. She was angry, but mostly in herself. And for the stupidest reason. That made her angrier and she kicked the punching bag, sending it slamming against the concrete walls.

  
She marched across the gym floor and snatched her water bottle before taking a few gulps. The gym had been empty when she got there and she was thankful it remained so. No one would be out at this time of night anyway, especially with the storm clashing over the village.

  
Why had she been so stupid? The thought circled her head again and she growled, wishing she could find something - anything- to take her mind off of her embarrassment. Beating a defenseless punching bag didn't help and she was afraid nothing would.

  
It was time to face the facts...she was a loser.

  
Ino knew it, Hinata knew it, and now she would have to accept it. She was fine being a virgin as long as Hinata stood by her side...but she and Naruto had sealed the deal a week ago and god only knows when Ino lost her virginity. Now it was just Sakura, and after last night, the word would definitely get out how much of a prude she was.

  
She had met a random guy at one of the bars on a girl's night out with her friends and they had given her their goofy thumbs up when he started flirting. It had been fun, but to calm her nerves she had drank probably too much. When he went in to kiss her...Ugh, she stood and slammed her water bottle back on the bench. It was too mortifying to think about.

  
Instead, she picked the punching bag up and hooked it back to the ceiling. She kept her chakra force low and worked on her stances and formations. For nearly an hour she worked, keeping her focus so intense on her workout that she hadn't heard the gym door open over the thunder and rain.

  
She spun on her heel, raising her leg to give a swift kick, but the sight of her former sensei standing ten feet behind her made her stumble and shriek. She grabbed the punching bag to steady herself as her scream echoed around the gym. "Kakashi-sensei! You scared me!"

  
Kakashi chuckled and held his hands up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you, but I felt I might need to step in. You're beating that bag and the stuffing is coming out." He pointed to the bottom of the bag where the seam had busted and Sakura put her hand to her lips.

  
"Oh...oops."

  
"Any reason you needed the bag to die?" He dropped his gym bag by the benches and turned to his former student as he slipped his rain soaked jacket off. Sakura shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. Sure, she was imagining her own face on the punching bag, but she couldn't tell Kakashi that.

  
With a shrug, she walked to her water and sipped it again. "No. Just the usual anger that comes with being a mega loser." She muttered against the plastic, but Kakashi had heard. He straightened and cocked his head to the side, eyebrows creased in confusion.

 

"Who's a mega loser? You?"

  
"Bingo." She watched from the bench as her former sensei took the busted bag off the hook and tossed it near the wall. He grabbed a new one and hung it in its place, before glancing around it to Sakura. "Why do you think that?"

  
Ugh, she was so not about to tell Kakashi-sensei about what had happened...Sakura bit her lip and blinked up at the silver mop on top of his head. On the other hand, he did always have a way with advice. Still, she couldn't even think about the incident, let alone talk about it. At her hesitation, Kakashi stepped around the punching bag and crossed his arms over his chest.

  
Sakura averted her gaze and dug the toe of her tennis shoe across the gym floor. "I did something stupid. And now people think I'm a complete loser, because I am one."  
"That tells me nothing." He responded, taking a few steps closer.

  
Gods, she seriously didn't want Kakashi-sensei knowing she couldn't even kiss a guy let alone lose her virginity. "Last night, I went to a bar with some friends. There was a guy who seemed interested and flirted with me. I drank a bit much but he offered to walk me home, which everyone knows is just a polite way of saying 'let's go home and have sex'." She glanced up at him to gauge his reaction, but he simply nodded, as if he knew exactly what walking a girl home entailed. Ugh, pig. Shaking her head, she continued. "Well, we got halfway to my place when he stops me and pulls me in for a kiss...And I guess I was so nervous that I...I-I vomited on his face."

  
Several seconds passed and Sakura waited, staring at her knees for Kakashi to respond with some sage advice or wisdom. Instead, he threw his head back and howled with laughter. Huffing, Sakura snatched her gym bag and stomped toward the exit. Before she could even make it halfway across the gym floor, Kakashi was in front of her, both hands on her arms to stop her. "Don't go. I'm sorry I laughed. The mental image was just too good. Come back and sit."

  
Sakura rolled her eyes and dropped her gym bag from her shoulder, dragging it along the floor as she made her way back to the benches. She collapsed on it and folded her arms over her chest like a stubborn child being forced to eat her vegetables as she stared up at Kakashi. He took a seat beside her, wiping the remaining tear of laughter from the corner of his eye.

  
"That doesn't make you a loser. That makes you a light weight that might need to go easy on the alcohol."

  
"Oh yeah? Well, pair that with the fact that I'm a virgin, the fact that boys talk, and you know what that makes me? A mega loser that will be a crazy, old cat lady who dies a virgin." She hadn't meant to spill all of her secrets to her former sensei but it was out and she could only sit and stare at the gym floor.

  
"Sakura." Kakashi sat up and looked over at her, his exposed eye looking rather sympathetic. "Being a virgin isn't something to be ashamed of. It just means you haven't found the right--"

  
"Guy? I don't want the right guy. I want a right now guy. I'm 23 years old. Do you know how it feels hearing all of your friends gush about sex and how amazing it is when you've barely been kissed? I have zero experience and when a guy does show interest, I end up puking on him, or driving him away with my craziness." She stood now, throwing her hands up in the air. She was on a rant and there would be no stopping her. All of the frustration she felt over the past few weeks upon hearing about Hinata's non-existent hymen came pouring out. "Last night was the first night in months that someone has shown interest in me. Do you know how that feels?"

  
"Kind of." Kakashi sat back against the wall as she paced the floor in front of him. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. Sakura scoffed at him.  
"Oh yeah, you've probably had sex a million times. It's easy for you to say I'm not a loser, because you don't know what it feels like to be a loser. I'm sure girls throw themselves at you just walking down the street."

  
Kakashi laughed again and reached out to stop the girl from wearing a hole in the floor from her walking. He pulled her back to the bench. "Girls do not throw themselves at me. It's actually been so long that I've unofficially taken a vow of celibacy. It'll happen for you. You just have to be patient."

  
Sakura scoffed at that notion. Patience may work on 16 year old's who think they're ready for a physical relationship, but not for her. Patience went out the door when she became the last virgin in Konoha. A tiny part of her admitted that she was just horny, but she shook that thought from her head. She knew how to satisfy her desire for an orgasm. That's not what she needed.

  
She needed...physical contact.

 

She wanted someone to wrap their arms around her, pull her close to their chest and kiss her until she feared she would go mad. She needed to feel someone else's hands on her for once, and maybe someone's tongue and other body parts...Swallowing, Sakura was glad she was wearing her thick sports bra as her nipples had responded to the thought of having sex with someone real.

  
"What I need..." She said, staring off through the double, glass doors of the gym. The rain had slacked a bit but still fell in fat drops. Lightning lit the sky in violet streaks, off and on. "Is someone I can practice on. Someone who can teach me all the moves without me being so nervous."  
Thunder rumbled close by and the gym windows rattled ominously. Sakura glanced down out of the corner of her eye to where her former sensei was sitting, rather tense beside her. She could tell he was putting the pieces together in his mind. To be honest, she didn't even know what she was saying. It was an absurd idea, but he had taught her so much in her life, he was someone she trusted and someone experienced. And he had said he hadn't been physical in a while. "Sakura." He started quietly, but she wasn't quite ready for the answer.

  
Her stomach twisted tightly in a knot as her heart beat galloped across her chest. She jumped from the bench and held a hand out to quiet him. "Don't answer me right yet. Just...Just think about it." He stared at her in disbelief, and she could see his jaw was slacked behind his mask. But, he did as she asked. He clamped his mouth shut and fell back against the wall behind the bench.

  
Sakura nodded and turned on her heel, scooping her gym bag up in her arms and shouldered it. If she stopped, she would tell him to forget it. No. She needed this. This would be the way she could turn her loser status around. With a small smile teasing her lips, Sakura pushed the double doors open and hurried out into the pouring rain.

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AN- This is obviously just some nice, simple smut in multi-chapter form. There will be lots and lots of sex between our favorite people. 


	2. Lesson One

** Teach Me **

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It took several minutes, standing in the hallway of a strange apartment complex, before Sakura could raise her fist to knock on her former sensei's door. She stared at the tiny peephole as she gave herself until the count of five to knock on his door. That had been nearly three minutes ago and still she stood, hand gripping her book bag with white knuckles.

She could walk away. He wouldn't hold it against her, or tease her about it. She trusted him. But, to walk away now would mean to continue down the same path as before; the path to drunken fumbling, possibly more vomit, and remaining a virgin for who knew how long? Sure, she could go to a bar, get hammered and let a random guy fuck her in the bathroom but she at least wanted her first time to be enjoyable. She needed to do this. Her loser-dom was ending now.

With a deep breath, Sakrua squared her shoulders and rapped lightly under the peephole of Kakashi's door. Her stomach churned and her legs ached, begging her to run for it. She stood her ground, fighting the urge to puke.

It wasn't long until Kakashi pulled the door open, blinking in surprise down at the pink haired kunoichi. She felt like a tiny student again, holding her book bag, staring up at her impossibly tall sensei. "Sakura." He said with a small smile before opening the door a bit wider. This was it. If she took that step into his apartment, she wouldn't let herself leave without getting what she wanted. She had stared down some evil foes in her life, far more fearsome than this, so why was she so nervous?

She stepped into his apartment, standing awkwardly at the threshold as he shut the door behind her. To the right was a small kitchen area in an L shape and to the left was a living area. A ragged looking couch was pushed into the corner, and despite it's worn, frayed material, it looked rather comfy. "I was just about to make some tea, if you want some."

"Actually, I was just wondering if you had an answer yet?"

Kakashi chuckled as he crossed into the kitchen. He opened a few cabinets and pulled a kettle out along with two mugs. Sakura didn't know whether she should make herself comfortable or not. She stood in front of the door, fingers still tightly gripping the straps of her book bag as if she were five years old again, afraid to go to school. As Kakashi filled the kettle with water, he glanced her way. "You can sit down, you know? We'll talk in just a second."

Sakura sat down nervously on Kakashi's couch. She had never been in his apartment before, had never even given a thought to how he lived or what his home looked like. But, being in his home now she felt it was very much like his personality. He had several books shelves along the walls filled with books and knick-knacks. A few potted plants sat around the room, their leaves bright and healthy. Sakura scoffed. She had tried to keep some plants alive several times, but she had the complete opposite of a green thumb.

Beside the couch was a table with a few magazines, a candle that had been burnt halfway down, and a picture frame with team 7. Sakura picked it up and wiped a streak through the thin layer of dust on the glass and smiled down at her 12 year old self. As Kakashi rounded the corner from the kitchen with two mugs in his hands, she turned the frame around to show him. "Aww. You do care." She mocked with a small smile before setting the frame back down.

"I keep it around to remind myself that if I can survive you three, I can survive anything." He smirked over the top of his mug as she took hers. Sakura rolled her eyes and slid as close to the arm of the couch as she could.

She was trying her best not to be nervous but it was hard. An hour ago, she was certain this was the best plan of action to relieve her of her loser status but now that he was so close to her, she felt the nausea roll through her stomach. No. She refused to let herself throw up. Not on his face or in his toilet. She sipped her tea, hoping it would calm her twisting tummy.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked as he sat beside her, keeping almost an entire cushion between them.

Sakura nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes. I've actually given it a lot of thought the past few days." She reached for her book bag and set the mug of tea down on the table to her right. She pulled one of the books she had checked out and blushed at the many post it notes sticking out of the top. "I went to the library and did some research. Just for some ideas about what I think I should work on."

Kakashi took the book from her lap and thumbed through the pages, pausing briefly to read the notes she had left on the sticky pads. She reached for it, embarrassed by her own tips she had written, but Kakashi was quicker and jerked the book away from her grasp. With a slight 'hmm' Kakashi shut the book and tossed it to the floor at her feet. "Hey! That belongs to the library." Sakura scolded as she scooped the book up and smoothed out the bookmarks she had made.

"Lesson one. Don't research in a book. And this is coming from a guy who reads a lot of these books. You won't learn anything and your expectations will be so high you'll only end up being disappointed."

Sakura scowled, fighting the urge to defend her self-help book. She had been so proud of the work she put into it. "This isn't Icha-Icha. This is really helpful and I learned a lot just skimming through it." Sakura dusted off the cover and turned to Kakashi, her lips pursed in annoyance. His eyebrows raised on his forehead as he pointed down at the book in her lap.

"You call that 'skimming through'?"

"Yes. I've got another book--"

Kakashi shook his head and stopped her with a hand held up to her lips. "No more books. But I am curious. You say you learned a lot from it so show me what you learned."

"What? I can't just-I mean the situation hasn't called for any of the things I learned. I can't just..." she swirled her hands in the air, unable to find the words. "Do it."

"Why not?"

"I need a scene."

Kakashi stared at her, impassive and straight faced. "A scene?"

"You know..." Sakura nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and kept her gaze away from his. She hated feeling stupid and that was exactly how he was making her feel. "I need a mood. Are we on a date? Have we kissed before? Is this our first time? I mean, there are a lot of factors to include here."

"Okay." Kakashi stood to his feet and rubbed his chin as he paced the length of the rug on his living room floor. "Second date. We've had a bit of wine. We haven't kissed and I've asked you back to my place for coffee. Is that a scene?"

Sakura wrinkled her nose and folded her arms over her chest. "I mean, I suppose so. But--"

"But what? Show me what you've got."

Sakura bit her lip and looked away toward the window curtains, noting how old and outdated they were. She didn't feel exactly comfortable putting moves on her former sensei in his house and besides, he was supposed to be teaching her. With a sigh, Sakura pushed off the couch and stepped up to him. It was hard to make a move on someone so much taller than she was. The book hadn't accounted for height but she decided to try the move instead.

She stepped close to him, her chest almost against his and looked up at him. She held his eye contact for a few seconds, counting to five before she moved her gaze to his mouth...or where it would be. She scowled and realized it hadn't occurred to her that he was wearing a mask.

"Are you staring at my chin?"

"No." She said through clenched teeth. "I'm supposed to be staring at your lips and hinting to you that I want to kiss you."

Kakashi chuckled and pushed his hands in his pockets. "Ah. Is there more?"

Sakura scowled up at him and the sight of his cheeky smirk made her want to slap it off of him. Instead, she reached to his arm and ran her fingers gently down his wrist and palm until their fingers interlaced. It was such a small gesture, one that Sakura was almost certain could be skipped, but the warmth of his fingers in her sent an unexpected tremor across her body. She blinked and stepped even closer to the man, looking up at him with what she hoped was seduction in her gaze.

She pushed herself on her tip toes, their faces dangerously close now. She could smell the tea lingering on his warm breath and she bit her lower lip instinctively. Her eyes fluttered close and she leaned her head to the side just a bit, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. But, it was Kakashi that closed the distance between them. The touch of his masked mouth against hers made Sakura gasp.

It lasted only seconds but Sakura felt light headed, as if she had been holding her breath for too long. When he pulled away, she nearly pulled him back. Her cheeks flushed crimson and she ducked her head, hoping her hair hid her face. She licked her lips, tasting him just a bit on the tip of her tongue.

Kakashi hooked a finger under her chin, lifting her head. He slid a hand along her jaw and neck, circling around to the back of her head. Sakura felt her eyes close, her body responding on its own now. She stepped back onto her tip toes and suddenly they were kissing again.

She had suspected this would be far too bizarre to do, that she would be grossed out by the thought of kissing an older man, but it wasn't like that at all. Even with his mask in place, she actually enjoyed it. Her hands were clenched between them and Kakashi pulled at them, bringing them around his own neck, allowing them just a few more inches to draw closer.

But, as his hands moved around her sides to the small of her back, an alarm seemed to go off in Sakura's head and she dropped her arms and backed away. "I'm sorry. I think I got freaked out."

"It's fine. But, I think I take back what I said earlier. You did learn a few things from your book."

Blushing, Sakura licked at her lips and smiled softly. "Yeah, I read the whole chapter on kissing. It didn't really cover kissing someone in a mask though." She smirked up at him. Her confidence rose a bit at his compliment but her heart was still pounding wildly. She wondered if this was how kissing always was or if she would get used to this weird high she was on.

Kakashi tapped his chin in thought and gestured for her to sit on the couch as he went in the back room. She could hear him rustling around in a drawer and she sat back, running her finger along her lips. They felt a bit dry and she hurriedly dug through her bag for her chap stick. She applied it quickly, popped the cap back on it and tossed it in the bag just as he rounded the corner back into the living room. He held a thin piece of black material in his hand and passed it to Sakura.

She flipped it over and back before she raised an eyebrow at him. "Is this a sleep mask?"

"Just put it on." He took a seat next to her as she did as he told, pulling the silk material over her eyes. She could only see a tiny sliver of light beside her nose. "Is this seriously so I won't see your face?"

"It's a matter of principle by now. I've lasted this long, I would only be disappointed in myself if I showed you." He slid across the couch until their knees grazed, causing Sakura to start slightly. Her hands reached for he mask out of instinct but he was quick to grab them and pull them back to her lap. "Just relax." His voice was soft and reassuring, but it still sent a wave of chills over Sakura's skin.

She opened her mouth with a response but was quickly silenced with the feel of his lips, his actual, unmasked lips against hers. She froze and Kakashi stayed still, waiting for her to relax. Her hands felt limp now and Sakura unconsciously leaned into him, the feel of his mouth sending her up to a new level of high. Her head swam and she thought she could hear drums but, realized with a blush it was her own heart beat.

Kakashi's hand grazed her jaw and settled against her neck, guiding her even closer into him. She was butter at that moment and he could have molded her in anyway he wanted. As his mouth moved against hers, she almost let out a groan but she quickly held it back. He parted her lips with his, his other hand settling warmly against her thigh.

Sakura wondered if this is what it felt like for everyone. She had been kissed before a few times, but never like this. The other kisses she had experienced were laughable compared to this. No. This was on a level she had never been before.

At the feel of Kakashi's tongue against her bottom lip, her eyes snapped open to the black of the mask. She hadn't expected this and had always thought it would be disgusting. She had been wrong. She slid a bit closer, her leg nearly draping over his and her hands moving with a mind of their own. She pressed a palm against his chest, grabbing at the fabric of his shirt with trembling fingers.

So focused on the feel of his lips, Sakura hadn't noticed how his fingers had slipped up her thigh to rest on her hip. His thumb slid along the underside of her shirt, barely grazing the skin but it felt as if he had seared her. She couldn't keep help the small whimper that sounded from her throat. It was like throwing fuel on a fire. Kakashi slipped his hand under the fabric of her shirt and held her side tightly in his grasp. His mouth moved fast against hers and Sakura felt her breath quicken.

She gasped as he nipped her bottom lip with his teeth. Before she could catch her breath, his mouth covered hers again and she did her best to keep up. She barely had time to second guess herself at all. His fingers were in her hair now, gripping it just tight enough that he could guide her how he wanted.

As his lips left hers, Sakura heard herself whine in protest. She was still half draped across him, her hands twisted in the fabric of his shirt. "I think we need to stop." He whispered, his breath warm across her jaw. Kakashi traced a line across her cheek with his thumb and lifted the sleep mask off of her face.

Blinking in the sudden brightness, Sakura was disappointed to see his face covered. She wondered if his mouth was as red as hers felt. She sat back and touched a finger to her lips. "Why?" She was almost pouting.

Kakashi glanced at her as he sat forward, draping his elbows on his knees. "Because, I wouldn't want to stop if we kept going."

"Is that bad?"

He laughed and pushed a hand through his hair, scrubbing at the back of his neck. "No. But, I think we should save the rest for lesson two." The silence stretched between them and Sakura was still feeling the effects of the kiss. Her head was swimming, her heart hadn't slowed down yet, and she definitely did not want to stop. But, it was probably a good thing. She was also exhausted, feeling as if she had pushed herself mentally and emotionally.

With a nod, she slid to the edge of the couch and grabbed her book bag before slipping it over her head. "I have to work the next four days. Can I come back this weekend?" She pulled her hair out from under the strap and watched him. He chuckled and glanced at her from over his arm. "This isn't freaking you out?"

"No. Is it you?" Sakura hesitated, realizing she had never thought about how he must be reacting to this. Kissing a former student had to be completely bizarre. Hopefully she hadn't been too awful for someone so experienced.

Kakashi shrugged, the corner of his mask lifting as he gave a smirk. "I guess I didn't expect you to be so good at it." He laughed as her eyes widened in surprise. She had never thought in a million years she would be good enough to cause this reaction in a grown man. Had she turned him on? "Don't go getting a big head about it." He reached over and smoothed down the hair that had been mussed up from the mask.

She smiled in thanks and stood, wishing on everything that she could see his face right now to see if he resembled her at all. She couldn't help the smile that kept tugging at the corner of her lips. "So, is this weekend okay?"

"This weekend is fine." He stood and walked her to the door, pulling it open and leaning a shoulder against the door frame. Sakura stood on his door step, wondering if it would be inappropriate to kiss him good bye. It seemed to be the natural thing to do after sucking face for the past half hour but she decided against it and settled for a wave goodbye. She turned and hurried home, unable to force the smile off of her mouth.

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AN- Ugh. I love these two so much.


	3. Change Your Mind

**Teach Me**

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The apartment that Sakura and Ino shared was a wreck. Clothes were spilling out of the dryer, dishes piled up in the sink, and Ino was currently laying on the couch with her headphones in her ears as she answered a quiz in a magazine. Sakura sighed as she shut the front door behind her, just loud enough to startle the blonde.

"Oh hey! I didn't think you would be off work for another hour." She went back to the magazine on her lap, circling an answer to one of the numerous silly quizzes she loved to take. 'What does your taste in music say about your love life?','Is he playing hard to get or doesn't want you at all?', or 'Should you be a princess or a bad girl in bed?' were just some of the ones she had subjected Sakura to.

Dropping her bags on the floor, Sakura headed into the kitchen and pushed her sleeves up her arms. She had made an excuse to leave work early. It was Friday, she was exhausted, and still had to clean before sneaking off to Kakashi's. But, with one look at the dishes she debated on throwing it all out and just buying more to replace them all. Instead she set to work, dipping her hands in the dirty water with a grimace.

"Will you at least grab the clothes from the dryer?" She shouted over the running water

From the living room, Ino shouted, "Huh?".

"Never mind." Sakura growled. She scrubbed the plates and cups as quickly as she could, settling for at least making a dent in the mound of dishes. The sink had been emptied for the most part and she swore to make the pig do the rest of the cleaning tomorrow.

Sakura hurried to her bedroom and shed her nurses uniform, vowing to wash it tomorrow. She kicked her tights off and felt of her legs, frowning. They had been neglected the past week and she wondered if she would need to shave them. It wouldn't hurt, especially if they moved on from kissing to other things tonight.

Her cheeks flushed hot and she rushed into the bathroom, grabbing her razor and shaving cream. With only a few tiny cuts from a hurried shave job, Sakura smeared lotion from her toes to her thighs. Standing, she glanced into the mirror to her pink panties. She pulled the elastic open and looked down at herself. Should she shave that as well? Ino has told her about a woman who would wax the bikini line into cute shapes but she definitely had no time for that.

Maybe he didn't mind. Sakura shook her head, deciding that she would just stop him if he went that far up. She wasn't even sure she was ready for that anyway.

As Sakura stepped from the bathroom back into her room, she giggled at the thought of Kakashi-sensei touching her there. It seemed such an absurd thing, something that would never happen in a million years. She grabbed a pair of pants and held them out, biting her bottom lip. It seemed a shame to hide her legs, especially after assuring they were smooth and silky. She tossed the pants into her closet and dug through her drawer, pulling a pair of black linen shorts that didn't seem too wrinkled. She pulled them on, along with a white shirt and her jacket.

Ino cleared her throat as she leaned against the door frame, her eyebrow arched high on her forehead. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh. Yeah," Sakura breathed as she slid her foot into one of her sandals, thankful she had taken the time to paint her toenails the night before. "Just to the library. Shizune has me doing this crazy research."

"You have to shave your legs for the library?" Disbelief dripped from Ino's voice and Sakura felt it was best to busy herself at her vanity, searching for a pair of earrings that she wouldn't wear just so she wouldn't have to look at her friend. Ino was damn good at reading her, especially if she was lying, which didn't happen that often.

"It's nice out." She said as she fished a pink stud out of her jewelry box. She slipped it in her ear and snapped it before glancing slyly at her friend. Ino still stood watching her, a look of doubt across her face. "What?"

"Nothing." Ino took a deep breath and walked back into the living room to continue glancing through her magazine. "Should I expect you to return tonight from the library? Or are you spending the night at the library?" Cold washed over Sakura. She knew Ino wasn't an idiot. But she would be damned if she told her what she was actually doing. Besides, having a secret as juicy as this made the butterflies in Sakura's tummy go completely crazy. She hid her smile and threw her book bag over her shoulder. "I'll be back around 10."

"Oh, is that when the library closes?"

"You would know if you ever went there." Sakura didn't wait for an answer and let the door shut loudly behind her. She sneaked around the back of the building, knowing Ino was watching out the living room window for her to take a left to the library. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction and instead slipped around the dumpsters and headed toward Kakashi's.

Halfway there, she realized she had forgot to brush her teeth, having been distracted by the shaving dilemma. Cursing, she dug through her bag for a peppermint and found one half crushed by her books. She popped it in her mouth and nearly choked on it immediately at the sight of Hinata's purple head walking just a few yards ahead, with Naruto at her side. Shit. She forgot he had moved on this side of town.

Sakura stepped over the bushes off the road and decided to use the buildings to distance them from her. She stepped over flower beds and had to climb over fences but she finally reached Kakashi's building with only a few new bruises from stumbling.

She glanced over her shoulder and hurried up the steps to his building, slipping in behind an elderly woman who was taking her trash out. Finally safe from any possible peeping eyes, Sakura smoothed her shirt down and paused to glance in the reflection of the glass doors. Her shorts seemed shorter now than they had in her bedroom and she had a moment of regret for picking them. Well, it was too late now. She refused to face Ino after her earlier suspicions.

"Are you going to stand there looking at yourself all night?" A deep voice behind her made Sakura whirl around with a start. She clutched her chest and scowled at Kakashi. He seemed pleased with himself. For a second, she started to berate him on frightening her for a second time in less than a week until she noticed he was wearing rather nice clothes.

"Wait, are you going somewhere?" She asked, pointing at his attire.

"Yeah. I'm actually starving and I've forgotten to buy groceries for the fifth week in a row. Wanna come with?"

"L-like a date?"

Kakashi sighed as she grabbed the shoulder of her bag and stared with wide eyes. "Sakura! What a surprise to see you in my apartment building. Oh, you're going out for some food? Amazing, I was just heading out myself." He pushed the glass door open for the woman making her trip back in from the trash bins. She patted him on the shoulder and shuffled on, remarking that he was such a sweet, young man. Sakura blushed and slipped out the door into the darkening night. The sun was setting now and the street lights were blinking on. Kakashi followed her out, hands stuffed in his pockets as he strolled toward the street. He didn't turn around or glance back and Sakura knew he would leave her there if she didn't follow him.

She shifted her bags on her shoulder and hurried to catch up to the ninja. "You could have let me drop my books off."

"Didn't I tell you last time to lose the books anyway?" He didn't glance down at her and Sakura scowled.

"Yeah, and then you said that I actually did learn something from them." She pointed out with a grin. "And besides, I told Ino I was going to the library for research. It would look weird if I left and came back empty handed."

Kakashi didn't respond. He strolled along the street before took a right down an alley Sakura had never been on. Several cats were taking care of some scraps that had been thrown out near a row of dumpsters ahead of them. Sakura pinched her nose as they passed and stepped over a shimmering puddle of oil. "You really know how to show a girl a good time."

"On a date, I do. This isn't a date, though." Kakashi pointed out and took a left behind a block of buildings. The wall of the village sat to their right and the alley way was barely paved beneath their feet. Tufts of grass came through the crumbling concrete and trash cans were set out behind several of the buildings. They looked like the back doors of several businesses, and she wondered if they were even allowed back here. Before she could ask, Kakashi pulled back a dingy, orange curtain that hung in a doorway and gestured for her to step inside.

Sakura arched a pink eyebrow and stared inside the curtain. A bar had been set up with several stools and a few tables to the left and right. There were a few men inside, nursing their drinks and all of them looked as if they had been here for a while. "Are you coming in?" Kakashi asked, as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with a back alley bar.

Sakura stepped inside and took a stool at the bar next to her companion, gripping the strap of her book bag just a bit tighter. "What is this place?"

"Well, you made it seem like you didn't want anyone to notice you. Hardly anyone knows about this place." He held up two fingers to the bartender and it wasn't long before a bottle of sake sat in front of them with two small glasses.

Sakura pointed at the beverage. "I thought you wanted food?"

"Shin here makes the best noodles on this side of town." Kakashi poured himself some sake and knocked it back in one sip before glancing at her. She wasn't too big a fan of sake. The few times she had drank it resulted in getting twice as drunk, twice as fast. She gave a sigh and poured a tiny bit for herself. She swallowed it was a grimace and slid the glass back across the bar.

Kakashi was already pouring himself another and Sakura sighed heavily. She leaned over the bar to the man who had shuffled to the kitchen. "Can we make those noodles to go, please?" She shouted. Shin nodded and held up a hand to gesture he had heard her and Sakura fell back into her stool, taking the cup of fresh sake before her. She looked into the clear liquid, an eyebrow raised. "Are you trying to get me drunk? Because I think I made it pretty clear that wasn't a good idea with me."

Snickering behind his drink, Kakashi gave small shrug and tipped his head back. "I remember and no, I'm not trying to make you drunk."

"Alright, well are you trying to get drunk? Because, it looks like it." Sakura faced him, an elbow draped across the bar and the other on the back of her bar stool. She crossed her legs toward him, hoping he would notice the care she had put into them earlier and hoped the tiny cuts weren't visible. But, that was ridiculous. Why should he notice her legs? She wasn't here to seduce him. She was here to learn how to seduce.

"It takes a bit more than a bottle of sake to get me drunk."

"Okay..." She was honestly at a loss for words. He was almost on the verge of being snappy with her and it was so not a turn on. The excitement she had felt earlier was completely gone and replaced with a big stone of regret in her stomach. Had he had a change of heart in the last few days? Their last time had been enjoyable, at least to her, and he had admitted that she was a good kisser. So why was he suddenly being an ass?

Was he uncomfortable with free sex? Did he think she would turn on him and accuse him of using her? Jeez, she hadn't thought of that. Maybe she should reassure him that this wasn't a trap to hurt him and that he could trust her like she trusted him.

"Kakashi."

"Hmm?"

Sakura twirled the glass cup on the bar and frowned. "If you're trying to push me away by being a jerk right now, I get it. But, I would appreciate it if you were honest with me instead. I'm not doing this to try to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. I was under the impression that this," She gestured between them with a finger, "was still good."

Kakashi sighed and scrubbed a palm across his face, pushing the bottle of alcohol across the bar away from him. He turned to her and his eye swept over her face, from her hair to her mouth and she hoped he couldn't see her blush that crept over her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be a jerk. It's just difficult for me to do," He mimicked her gesture with his own finger, "this so easily. I at least would like to treat you to dinner some of the time."

Sakura was touched. She almost put a hand to her heart with an 'aww' but resisted. Instead, she put a hand on his knee and smiled sweetly. "I appreciate you trying to be a gentleman. I really do. I'll agree to dinner some of the time, if you agree to not be a gentleman...at other times." For a moment, neither of them spoke and Sakura was very aware of her hand still sitting on her sensei's knee. She bit her lip and pulled her hand back into her lap, hoping she hadn't made things awkward.

She looked back up at him and her stomach flipped at the sight of him staring at her so intensely. It was almost identical to the way he had looked at her after they had kissed on his couch the other night. Her heart drummed loudly in her ears and she felt her body respond to his gaze, desperate to feel the high again.

The room felt hot all of a sudden and Sakura tucked her hair behind her ear, having to look away from him to keep herself from jumping out of her stool. Thankfully, Shin dropped the bag of takeout between them and Kakashi broke his gaze from her. He paid for their meal and lead the way back to his apartment.

The entire walk over, Sakura felt the butterflies return to her stomach and once they ascended the stairs to his apartment, they were going crazy. She didn't know if she would even be able to eat.

Kakashi opened the door for her and she slipped inside his dark apartment, dropping her bag to the floor. He flipped the kitchen light on and Sakura stood much like she had the first time she was there, timid and a little scared by the front door as he dropped the food onto a small table. She watched as he pulled the food containers from the bag and set them in front of the two chairs.

He was trying so hard to be a gentleman and she truly was appreciative of his efforts. But, in that moment, she felt so tense, as if her every muscle in her body was holding her back from grabbing him and pulling him to the couch. She wanted him and she wasn't sure if it was even about getting experience anymore. He had ignited something inside her the other night, something that was longing to feel the fire again.

Kakashi glanced to her and smirked. "You don't have to wait for me to tell you to make yourself at home every time, you know?"

God, she wanted to kiss him again. Her legs felt heavy as she took a step closer and her hands twitched at her side. Would it be rude to just grab him? She had promised him she would make an effort not to just jump into it...but how was she supposed to resist?

Instead, she grabbed the back of her chair and glanced down at her food, watching the steam rise from the plastic bowl. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied him grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge. Would he think it odd if she poured hers over her head to cool off? As he stepped back to the table, Sakura took a deep breath and made her decision.

"Are you alright?" He asked, putting a hand on top of hers on the back of the kitchen chair. She turned and pushed herself up onto her tip toes, hoping he didn't smack her with one of the bottles of water. As her mouth met his, she sighed in relief. Even with his mask, she had a taste of the drug she didn't know she needed.

For a second, he was taken aback and one of the bottles fell to the floor at their feet. Sakura felt as if she were floating but realized he had wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the floor. He held her with one hand under her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her ankles behind him and reached between them with his other. The fabric slipped down his face and Sakura kept her eyes squeezed close for his sake.

And then his lips were on hers and she felt her high again. Sighing against his mouth, she pushed her hands though his hair and pulled his headband off, letting it slip to the floor. His hair was soft in her fingers and she hoped she wasn't being a complete weirdo feeling it as much as she was. It was as if her body was hyper aware of everything of his; the softness of his hair, the pressure of his lips against hers, him holding her as if she were as light as a pillow.

Sakura gasped as she felt herself falling forward. She gripped his shoulders and forced herself to keep her eyes closed as they both fell back onto the couch. With both of her legs on either side of him, she felt very exposed, sitting on his lap and she was thankful she had taken the time to shave her legs.

His hands moved from her shoulders down to the small of her back and over the curve of her ass. She groaned against his mouth and pressed her hips into his. A new sensation ignited inside her and she couldn't help opening her eyes wide to the feeling. Slowly, she tried again, rolling her hips over his. Kakashi gripped her hips tightly in his hands and guided her slowly back and forth over his lap.

Sakura couldn't keep her concentration on one thing, volleying back and forth between the delicious kissing to the way he moved her against him. It was almost too much but she didn't dare stop. Kakashi slipped a hand under her shirt and up her back, holding her steady as he turned, laying Sakura down on the couch.

She managed to keep her eyes shut as his mouth left hers and burned a trail across her jaw to her throat. Her breaths came out in quick puffs and she let him pull her hands above her head, holding them with one hand as his other found her hip again. He moved under her shirt again and she gasped. "D-did you unhook my bra?" She panted.

"You told me not to be a gentleman." Kakashi murmured against her neck before pressing a kiss to her collar bone. His palm was warm against her skin and she couldn't help the chill that ran along her body. Sakura felt her breath freeze in her lungs as she felt him slip beneath the fabric of her bra. His thumb slid over her nipple slowly and her entire body quivered at the touch.

He brought his other hand down from her wrists, moving agonizingly slow over the flesh of her arms, down the side of her breasts and under her shirt. Sakura's body trembled as Kakashi moved dangerously close to the button of her shorts. His finger slipped under the band of fabric and she put one hand over her eyes and another over his hand. "Wait." She hated the quiver in her voice.

Without a word, Kakashi slid his hands back under her and lifted her from the couch and back onto his lap. She peeked out of her closed eye to see his mask back in place. He pulled her close to his chest and gently kissed a line across her shoulder where her shirt had slipped down. Sakura couldn't help sighing and let her head fall to the side so he could continue.

He pulled his mask down and grazed his teeth across her skin, pausing to suck lightly at her flesh. Sakura wasn't even sure how much time had passed as they sat on the couch, tangled together. They would kiss for so long she would grow light headed only to pause so he could kiss further and further away from her mouth, letting her get used to the feel. His hands occasionally passed close to her breasts but he was back to being a gentleman again.

Sakura was thankful. She wasn't quite ready to take it beyond where they were now, despite how amazing his hands felt against her nipple. "I have to go." She whispered against his lips, her fingers playing at the hair behind his head.

"Why?" He whispered back, sending a wave of chills down her spine. Sakura hesitated, knowing full and well she could and would not stay the night. But, it was nice to think about. She knew she wouldn't mind spending her night kissing him on his couch. She let him get his mask back into place before she sat up. She stood and turned away from him to hook her bra back into place. She still couldn't figure out how he had did it without her knowing or feeling it.

Kakashi crossed the room to the table where their food sat, forgotten and no longer steaming hot. He put her container into the bag with the bottle of water that had fallen on the floor and tied it for her. Sakura smiled as she took the bag. "Sorry you didn't get to eat it hot."

"It's fine." Kakashi smiled with a small shrug.

Silence stretched between them and Sakura stared down at the bag in her hands, twisting her finger around the plastic and searching her mind for anything to say. It felt weird to schedule a time to come back, like they were business associate's discussing appointment times.

Kakashi hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her head to face him. "When will you come back?"

Heat seared through her and she fought to hide the smile that pulled at the corner of her lips. She wanted to come back tomorrow, but was afraid she would seem too desperate. Instead, she shrugged one shoulder. "My next week is pretty hectic...but I think I could sneak over maybe Thursday?"

"Thursday it is."

Sakura thanked him for the food and slipped quietly out his door, glancing in both directions to make sure no one had seen her. She was pretty sure no one in his building knew her. He seemed to enjoy living surrounded by old people. The corner of her lips lifted in a smile and she hurried down the stairs, and quietly slipped out into the night.

She was sure Ino would be awake to wait on her, or out with Hinata. Hopefully, they hadn't stopped by the library to spy on her. She scoffed at the thought. Ino didn't even know where the library was. And besides, Kakashi had given her a good alibi with the food. If Ino accused her of not being at the library, she would just shove the bag in her face. But, thankfully, Ino was out by the time Sakura got home. The apartment had been picked up and vacuumed and was now sitting dark and quiet. Exactly what Sakura was wanting. She needed some peach and quiet to think about things. She hadn't changed her mind about the plan, but things did feel different now.

She dropped her book bag on the floor by the front door and collapsed on the couch. Wincing, she pulled Ino's magazine out from under her and tossed it on the cushion beside her. The bold, white letters on the cover jumped out at Sakura and she bit her lip, pulling the magazine back into her lap. 'Is He Into You?'

Sakura flipped to the page of the article and sighed, knowing she should not even bother taking the quiz. It was stupid and couldn't tell her anything useful. It was all ploys to get you to buy the next issue. The quiz would tell her he wasn't into her and the next magazine would have an article about how to make him into you. It was all rubbish.

Still, she grabbed Ino's pen from the side table and took it anyway, telling herself it was just for fun. She wasn't even thinking about Kakashi while answering, just some random figment of her imagination who also happened to be tall, have silver hair, and wear a mask. She counted up her answers and flipped the page for the result. She got the second option; 'He's Not....Yet'.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura threw the magazine to the floor and sat back on the couch. If he wasn't into her, then why did he want her to stay? But, then again...why did she want her former sensei to be into her at all?

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AN- Sorry for the long chapter...I just couldn't stop writing these two :)


	4. Fantasies

**Teach Me**

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Thunder rumbled low across the sky and Sakura reached across her bed to close her window with a sigh. She had been enjoying the spring air all day and once she got home from work, she had thrown open her windows to bask in the sun and warmth. But, with spring always came storms and it looked like they were in for another one tonight.  
Ino stopped by the door and knocked on the frame. "You going to drink that whole thing tonight?" She nodded toward the wine bottle that sat, nearly empty, on Sakura's night stand.

  
Smirking, Sakura raised her glass and took a sip. "I just might. I deserve a treat." She frowned at the sight of the blonde's flac jacket. "Are you on duty tonight?"

 

Ino rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the corner of Sakura's bed, wiping a hand over her face with a groan. "I lost a bet with Chouji and now I have to cover his guard duties for two weeks."

  
"What was the bet?" Sakura grabbed the bottle of wine and poured the remaining contents in her cup, reminding herself that she had stashed another bottle in the back of the fridge. From the foot of the bed, Ino blinked up at her, her bottom lip pouting. "I him that he couldn't fit fifty marshmallows in his mouth."  
"Oh, my god...he fit fifty marshmallows in his mouth?" Sakura's eyes widened from over her glass of wine.

  
"No. He fit 62. And now I'm stuck on the wall all night." She fake sobbed into her elbow and slid off the side of the bed. Thunder barreled over the village and Sakura glanced to the window. Rain had started to pelt the glass.

  
Ino stood and heaved a heavy sigh, straightening the sleeves and collar of her flac jacket. "Well, I suppose I'm off. I'll see you tomorrow." She grumbled as she walked out of Sakura's room. The pink haired kunoichi sat still for several seconds until she heard the door shut and the lock click into place. Hurriedly, she rushed into Ino's room and pulled a stack of magazines out of the girl's nightstand. After taking her quiz the other night, Sakura discovered these magazines were chock full of outrageous sex tips and advice. They had quickly become her guilty pleasure and she was just tipsy enough to giggle over them at the moment.

  
Once she was back in her room, she slid the door shut with her foot and sat in the floor, her back against the purple sheets of her mattress. She dumped the stack in front of her and spread them out, glancing over the article titles on the covers. Most had to do with romance or fashion and Sakura figured she didn't care too much about either of those things right now.

  
She slid an issue closer and widened her eyes. The cover had a woman in a very tight, black dress but the letters above her head stood out most: 'The Sex Issue'. All across the page were '50 tips to blow your man's mind' and 'How to get and orgasm--every time!'. Sakura's cheeks blushed as she pulled the issue closer and flipped through the pages.  
She figured she should start with the list of fifty sex tips and quickly found the right page. She sipped her wine as she glanced down the list. Some were just ridiculous. Number 48: Show Off Those Toes! How were her feet supposed to help her sex life? She was pretty sure Kakashi didn't have a foot fetish and she really didn't want to know if he did. Still, she stretched her feet out in front of her and wiggled her red painted toes.

  
She shrugged and moved on down the list, finding most of the tips to be ones she decided to skip. Dance together, take time to flirt, keep your bedroom clean...They all seemed pretty tame to be in 'The Sex Issue'. But as she brought her glass to her lips, number 23 caught her attention quickly.

  
'Phone Sex! Mastering the art of arousing your lover over the phone isn’t hard if you know the little sexy things that make the difference between an uncomfortable conversation and a sexy one!' Sakura bit her lip and glanced back at the phone sitting on her night stand. Did she even have Kakashi's phone number? 'Yes!' She thought. She did have it in an old address book that was sitting in the top of her closet. Biting at the corner of her thumbnail, Sakura stood and slowly made her way to her closet. She pushed the clothes that spilled onto the floor back with her toes and reached for the faded little address book. She flipped to the middle and found his name, current address and phone number. Just seeing it made her tummy flip-flop and she quickly downed the rest of her wine.

  
If she was going to call him, she would definitely need a bit more of liquid courage. She hurried to the kitchen and snagged the other bottle of wine she had hidden behind the carton of eggs and milk. It was a cheap bottle, but it would do. She refilled her glass as she took a seat on the corner of her bed, glancing at the phone laying on her nightstand.  
She set the bottle down, snatched the phone, deciding that if she found a few more tips to discuss with him, she would give him a call. There would be no initiating phone sex from her, that she was sure of. It seemed such an absurd thing to do. How was it enjoyable at all? Still, the thought of hearing his voice right now did make her feel a bit excited.

  
Biting her lip, Sakura turned the page of the magazine to hunt down more sex tips. Her eyes fell to a long section of blow-job techniques and her head immediately filled with images that made her blush from head to toe. She cleared her throat and read through a few of them, snickering at the ridiculous ones but definitely noting some of the ones that sent jolts through her body. Her fingers curled around the phone on the floor at her side. Even if she had no intention of having phone sex, she did have plenty of questions about these blow job tips. Not to mention, the last glass of wine had her feeling very risky.

  
Rain spattered against her bedroom window and she pursed her lips, listening to the tap, tap, tap that began to fall faster. She tapped her fingers along the back of the phone before flipping it over and punching Kakashi's phone number into the key pad. Her hands were shaking as she brought it to her ears, heard it ring twice, and promptly hung up. Oh, god. She couldn't do it. Her heart was pounded so hard she felt dizzy.

  
The phone in her hands rang loudly and she screamed, tossing the device onto the bed, staring with wide eyes. Was he calling her back? Oh, no. She forgot about caller I.D...How could she be so fucking dumb?

  
Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed the answer button and brought it to her ear. "Hello?" She asked as innocently as she could, as if she hadn't just made a stupid plan to talk about oral sex with a former sensei. The alcohol helped none and she put a hand to her forehead, knowing she sounded absolutely moronic.

  
"Did you just call me?" Ugh, his voice was deep and a bit sleepy sounding. Should she deny it? No. He already knew she called! She was caught.  
Mentally kicked herself, Sakura gave a small laugh that she hoped didn't come off as crazy. "Yeah...I, uh, thought you might be sleeping so I hung up."

  
"No, I wasn't sleeping. What's up?"

  
She froze. She hadn't actually thought he would strike up a conversation with her. Sakura turned back to glance at the magazine behind her. What was she supposed to say? 'Let me read you some of these ridiculously embarrassing fellatio tips'? He would most definitely hang up on her.

  
"Sakura?"

  
"Yep?"

  
"Are you alright?" He sounded amused more than annoyed and she relaxed a bit. It was nice to hear his voice, after all. Sighing, she sat back down beside her bed and pulled the magazine back toward her.

  
"I'm fine. I'm just pretty awkward on the phone."

  
"Really? I couldn't tell." He chuckled and she felt her cheeks redden and she flipped the page back on the magazine. She pursed her lips, knowing if she were with him, she'd smack him for being a smart ass. "What are you doing?" His question caught her off guard and she glanced at the words 'sex' written across the top of the article. 

  
Biting her fingernail, she cradled the phone between her cheek and her shoulder and flipped a page in the magazine, searching for anything but 'blow job tips' she could mention. "Just reading a magazine. You should see some of these sex tips. They're hilarious." She wished she would just shut up but she was the queen at putting her foot in her mouth. As soon as her lips opened, the stupidest things fell out of it.

  
"Hilarious sex tips, hmm? Read me one. I'm curious now." She could hear him chuckle on the other end of the line and Sakura swallowed. She definitely needed a bit more to drink before awkwardly describing blow job advice from a magazine.

  
Sakura downed the last bit of wine in her glass and scanned the page with her eyes until she found one not so embarrassing. "Oh, here's one. 'Keep your panties on. It can be pleasurable torture to play with each other over your underwear, teasing'" She blushed bright crimson, unable to believe these words were actually coming out of her mouth. "And...uhm, 'stroking through the fabric'. These are stupid."

  
"No, I can see that being fun." He said, making Sakura bite her lip. She reached for the wine bottle and quickly poured another glass.

  
"Want to hear another one?" She took a big sip, hoping the alcohol would mentally prepare her for this.

  
"Sure."

  
"Okay," Sakura flipped one of the pages and picked one at random. "'Fantasies are key to a happy relationship. Explore role playing with your partner whether it be master and slave, or student and teach'-" She coughed, her throat clenching hard around the last word. She sat up, tossing the paper to the side, hoping to all that is good that he went deaf at the last second and hadn't heard her.

  
But, she was never that lucky. Kakashi chuckled. "Are you alright?"

  
"Mmm. I was drinking a bit of wine and it must have choked me." Sakura rolled her eyes at herself and sat back against her pillows.

  
"Ah, I see. So, fantasies hm? Master and slave seems a bit degrading to me. What was that last one, again?" Humor dripped from his words and she felt her heart skip a few beats. With a kick to the magazine, Sakura watched it slide off the bed.

  
"Oh, I don't know. I must have lost my place in the list."

  
"That's alright. Tell me one of your fantasies, then." He was smirking. She didn't know how she knew, but she could picture him in her head. He was smirking and he was so smug with himself for making her squirm. She wished that she could think of something super sexy to fire back at him, but everything that came to her mind seemed either childish or just too risque.

  
To be honest, the student teacher role play idea sounded like it had potential to be that super sexy she was wanting...but they were already doing that, weren't they?  
"Hello?"

  
"I'm thinking!" Sakura scowled. Maybe that second bottle of wine hadn't been the best idea. Chewing her thumbnail, she searched her brain for anything she had previously thought of while at her horniest but to be honest, she had always just concentrated on having an orgasm. Sure, she had fantasized about Sasuke numerous times, but those were all laughable now that he was off 'finding himself'. And despite how badly she wanted to, it seemed wrong to touch herself now that she and Kakashi were...doing whatever they were doing. In a way, she wanted to save it for him.

  
Her face flushed at the thought and she realized she had been quiet for way too long now. Sighing, she dropped her hand to the bed in defeat. "I can't think. You tell me one, first."

  
Kakashi heaved a sigh. "Fine." But, he hesitated and Sakura sat up with a grin.

  
"It's not so easy is it?"

  
"Hush."

 

"Make me." She giggled like a drunken idiot. Had she really just used such a middle school come back on someone she wanted to have sex with? Ugh.

  
"Hmm, I might do that."

  
"Well, I still want to hear your fantasy. You can't get out of telling me, you know."

  
"I'd rather show you." His tone was darker now, no more humor teasing at his words and Sakura felt a slow burn in her midsection that was not the result of the wine. She swallowed, not sure what to say next. "What would you do, if tomorrow when you're at work, I pull you into an empty room and kissed you the way you did me the other night?" She felt as if her breath was frozen in her lungs.

  
She knew she would kiss him back, that she probably wouldn't be able to resist herself. But, she couldn't tell him, she couldn't even squeak a tiny syllable out. "Would you push me away? Or would you let me pull your skirt up around your hips?"

  
"Yes." Sakura whispered.

  
"To which one?"

  
"Yes, I would let you." She closed her eyes and slid lower against her pillows until she was nearly flat against the bed. Her pulse raced as she pulled at the drawstring of her pajamas. Once they were down her hips and over her knees, she kicked them off the bed.

  
"And what if I wanted to do more than kiss you?" Gods, his voice turned her on more than she could ever imagine. It was almost as sexy as his kissing...Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers playing with the pink bow on her panties.

  
"Like what?" Her words were barely a whisper now.

  
"What if I wanted to touch you and I didn't want to stop at your panties? Because I don't. I want to feel you and touch you exactly how you're touching yourself right now."  
Sakura's eyes sprang open and she gasped, finger trembling as she slipped it into the folds between her thighs. She wasn't exactly surprised by how wet she was, but how did he know how turned on she was? Was he that confident? She bit her lip and slid her finger up and then back down over her clit, unable to conceal the tiny whimper that crept from her throat.

  
"Does it feel good?" Fuck, how did he make her feel as if she were about to come with just his voice? She didn't think she could last much longer, especially if he kept talking to her like this. It was better than any fantasy she could ever dream of.

  
"Yes." She breathed, arching her hips against her hand, wishing it were him instead. Her thighs shook as she moved faster and she nearly dropped the phone.

  
"I don't want to just touch you. I want to taste you, I want to make you scream and beg and I want you to come for me, Sakura." Her name on his lips sent a shudder through her entire body and she clamped her teeth over her bottom lip. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't keep herself quiet and gasped as she felt herself coming. Her entire body felt as if it were having an orgasm, from her head to her toes and she whimpered, squeezing her thighs together as she rolled to her side.

  
"Oh, my god." She whispered as she brought her fingers to her face, staring with wide eyes at the wetness that dripped from them. On the other end of the line, Kakashi had gone quiet and she wondered if he was still there. She sat up and chewed her thumbnail. Was he touching himself as well? Should she talk like him, tell him what she wanted to do to him?

  
Kakashi laughed softly. "I take it that's a good 'oh, my god'?"

  
Sakura couldn't help the smile on her lips and she rolled back onto her back, staring up at her ceiling fan, still slowly circling as it had before as if she hadn't just had an amazing orgasm beneath it. She felt as if the room should have changed from how it was five minutes ago. She sure felt different.

  
"Mm, yeah. Pretty good." She glanced back at her alarm clock and slapped a hand to her forehead. It was already past midnight and she had to be at the hospital to make her rounds at seven in the morning. "Ugh, I have to be at up in less than six hours."

  
"Do you want me to let you go?" He asked.

  
"Not really."

  
"You need your rest." He was smirking again, she just knew it. "Especially if you get a visitor tomorrow."

  
Sakura sat up quickly and blinked, her heart rate picking up speed again. Surely, he was joking, even if a tiny part of her wished he wasnt. "You're kidding right?"

  
"Goodnight, Sakura." Kakashi gave a small chuckle before the line went dead from his end. Oh, that bastard. With a sigh, she fell back against her pillows and tossed the phone to the foot of the bed. She knew that more than likely that he would not risk her losing her job for something like that. He knew how much working at the hospital meant to her. But, then again, the thought of that fantasy coming to life made her blush deep red. It would be on her mind all day long and she suspected that's exactly what Kakashi's plan had been all along.

  
With a sigh, she rolled onto her side and bit her lip. She ran a hand along the empty bed beside her and fell asleep imagining Kakashi-sensei laying beside her.

* * *

AN- Just so you know, it gets really smutty from here on out :)

 


	5. Noir

**Teach Me**

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* * *

 

Sakura sat at her desk and breathed a heavy sigh. She had been placed in Medical Records for the day, which was her very least favorite department to work in. Of course, she wanted to do her part for the hospital...but she felt as if her talents were being wasted down in the dimly lit basement sorting through paperwork for eight hours.  
With a shake of her head, she brushed her ponytail over her shoulder and set about her task of auditing charts for any errors the nurses made. Any mistakes had to be taken out and corrected and currently the pile for errors was a foot tall. It would take her the rest of her shift just to work through it all.

  
Sakura shifted in her stiff, wooden chair and popped her neck before slumping her shoulders and letting her head fall to the desk. She knew she should be getting started on her task but record correcting was the very last thing that her mind wanted to focus on today. After the events of the previous night, she struggled to think of much else aside from how much wine she had consumed and how sexy Kakashi's voice had been.

  
Every time her name was called, her stomach fluttered and hopes dropped at the sight of everyone but her sensei. She didn't truly expect him to stop by to see her, but a tiny part of her had hoped. As the day wore on, her memory of the night before turned from delightful to down right embarrassment. He had heard her...had known she was...Ugh, the thought of it now made her cheeks flare in shame.

  
It had never been her intention to actually have phone sex with him. Or had it? She couldn't remember now but it didn't sound like something she would do. Of course, making out with your former sensei on his couch for a few hours certainly didn't sound like something she would do either. But, she definitely had enjoyed that.

  
Sakura chewed on her thumbnail and pulled her headband off, dropping it to the desk. She let her hair down and raked her fingers across her scalp, sighing in relief of the headache that had crept along her skull for the past hour. It had been a while since she had gotten a proper hair cut. It stretched halfway down her back and was far too heavy for a ponytail these days.

  
As she debated on cutting it short again, the figure standing at her door cleared his throat. With a gasp, Sakura flipped her hair back and blinked up at Kakashi-sensei with wide, green eyes. The sight of him leaning against her office door, arms crossed over his chest and what she knew to be a very smug smirk across his hidden lips made the butterflies in her stomach flare to life. She pressed a hand to her belly and hoped her hair didn't look too disheveled.

  
"What are you doing here?"

  
"I was in the neighborhood." He shrugged, not moving from the threshold of her office. Sakura frowned and tried to think of why he would be near the hospital. His apartment was on the other side of the village and there were hardly any exciting places around here to visit. Was he here just to see her? Her stomach fluttered again and she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Oh. In the neighborhood of the hospital...or in the neighborhood of the Medical Records department?"

  
"Both, actually. I need the records of a prisoner who might be linked to a few arson cases around the neighboring villages. It's just a happy coincidence that you're here today." Kakashi stepped into the room now, his presence making the walls seem much closer than they were before. Sakura watched him lower himself into one of the discarded waiting room chairs that was pushed against the wall.

  
"Yeah, I'm not too thrilled to be here."

  
"I am." His eyes wrinkled at the corners with a smile. "You're much friendlier than the older woman who was here last time. She was quite miserable." Sakura laughed with a nod. The woman he was referring to was the supervisor over medical records and she was insufferable to put it nicely. She once yelled at Sakura for not erasing a word completely off the page.

  
"Yeah, she's a horrible bitch." She laughed at the look of surprise that made him falter just a bit. It wasn't often she could catch him off guard and she enjoyed the look on his face. Pushing off her chair, she nodded toward the hallway outside and grabbed the enormous loop of keys that hung from the desk. "Her name is Ru and she's probably a century old and makes us lug around this thing," She held up the key ring as she spun on her heel, walking backwards toward the rows and rows of silver filing cabinets. "As if anyone wants to steal decades old Medical Records."

  
They walked through the rows of cabinets until Sakura spotted the one he was needing and unlocked it with one of the keys. She pulled the top drawer open and let her fingers tiptoe through the colorful tabs that marked the individual charts. "Here it is. I'll have to make you copies, though."

 

"Are you free tonight?"

  
The question made Sakura's throat clench and she squeaked, trying to force air out of her lungs. It had completely caught her off guard, just when she was feeling proud of herself for not stupidly bringing up their phone incident. She quickly wracked her brain for any plans she may have made with Ino and came up blank. "Uhm, yeah. I am. I thought we were getting together this weekend?"

  
"We are. But there's a marathon of old black and white movies at the cinema tonight and wanted to see if you'd like to go with me." A date? Was it a date? Her heart pounded hard and she fidgeted with the chart tabs in her fingers.

  
"What time?" She managed to croak out.

  
"It starts at 7. You can meet me there, if you want." He stepped closer to her, slowly pushing the cabinet drawer closed. She dropped her hands as it clicked shut, the loop of keys swinging noisily in the silence that stretched between them. Clutching the chart in her hands, Sakura licked her suddenly dry lips and could only stare as he moved closer and closer until his finger hooked under her chin and lifted her head up.

  
"Do you want to?" He asked, his voice low and as delicious as it sounded the previous night. Chills ran down her spine as she remembered his words to her and she suddenly wished he would do exactly as he said he would. She didn't care if the entire hospital walked in on them in that moment. With a nod, Sakura felt him take the chart from her hands as he ran a thumb over her lower lip. "Good." He took a step back and she felt as if she were teetering on the edge of a cliff.

  
Blinking, she took a small step back as he opened the folder and flipped through several of the pages. With a smile, he snapped the chart closed and handed it back over. "There. No copies needed." He gave her a slight wink before turning to make his way back through the endless maze of filing cabinets, leaving the pink haired kunoichi to stare after him, her jaw hanging open slightly.

 

* * *

  
Sakura was drenched in sweat by the time she made it home in record time. The clock on the kitchen wall read 5:35 as she burst into the door, frightening her poor room mate to the point where she fell off the couch and tumbled to the floor. "What the--" Ino demanded as she rose on her hands and feet.

  
"No time!" Sakura shouted as she kicked her work shoes off by the front door and ran to her bedroom. She snatched a pair of panties from the top drawer, spun toward the bathroom and retreated back to sort through the mound of material for a better pair. She didn't know if he would see her panties tonight, but her typical cotton ones seemed so...childish. She wanted something that would make his eyes go wide at the sight.

  
As several pair spilled onto the floor, Sakura finally managed to find an unused pair of black, lace panties that she had never had use for in the past. There was a pink, silk bow in the front and tiny pink polka-dots sewn into the lace. Just looking at them made her feel intimidated but knew she would feel self conscious in anything else.

  
Ino stormed down the hallway just as Sakura slid into the bathroom and slammed the door shut in her face. "Sorry!" She shouted as she turned the faucet on in the shower. She mentally made a list of everything she needed to do before she left; Shower, shave, brush teeth, do hair and light makeup and pick something out to wear. Ugh, she would never make it in an hour and a half.

  
"What in the world is going on?" Ino shouted through the door as Sakura grabbed her toothbrush from the sink. Brushing her teeth in the shower was a sure way to save a few minutes.

  
"Uh...Nothing! Taking a shower!" She winced at her own words and stepped under the water.

  
"What was all that about, then? No time to do what?"

 

"I-uh...I have to be somewhere at 7." She was met with silence and wondered if Ino had given up and retreated back to the couch as she scrubbed shampoo into her pink hair. But, she wasn't that lucky. Faintly, she could hear Ino cluck her tongue on the other side of the door and Sakura knew she was standing akimbo, a look of disbelief on her face.

  
"Like a date?"

  
No. Not like a date...a thing. A thing she had no way to define at the moment. Instead of answering her roommate, Sakura rinsed shampoo from her hair and lathered up her pink loofah. She washed quickly and grabbed the razor, ridding her legs of any hair. She paused at her thighs and glanced down the length of her torso.   
Would tonight be the night to shave elsewhere? And how much should she get rid of? To rid herself of all the hair seemed excessive and she worried about razor burn. Was he the kind of guy who liked it all gone? Well, he wasn't the one that had to deal with the itch and pain of shaving. In the end, she decided a nice trim was the answer, to clear up anything unwanted and left a nice pink strip down the middle.

  
Sakura made sure she was thoroughly washed before she stepped out, hoping Ino had finally taken the hint and left her alone. Wrapping a towel around her chest, Sakura cracked the door open and peeked out into the hallway. It was completely Ino free. Breathing a sigh of relief, the kunoichi tip-toed across the hall to her bedroom and quickly shut the door behind her. She slipped the pair of panties on and glanced at them quickly in the mirror. The thin strips of fabric on her hips hung low and she was sure if she bent over low enough, they would barely cover the crack of her ass. But they did look good.

  
She picked out a black bra and stepped over a few mounds of clothes to get to her closet, making a mental note to properly hang everything up and stop putting it off like she had the last four times. Her closet looked like it had ate her entire wardrobe, got sick, and puked it up all over her floor. Sakura kicked a pair of leggings out of the way as she searched for the particular dress she had picked out in her mind an hour ago. It was casual enough that she could wear a pair of low tops with it while still looking cute.

  
Finally, she grabbed the material and pulled it out into the light. It was navy blue, with tiny straps. The top was lace and a bit tight across her chest but nothing too revealing. The neck came to just under her collar bone and the waist cinched a few inches under her bust with the skirt flowing down to the middle of her thighs. Her mother had remarked how short it was the first time she wore it, but it honestly didn't feel as short as she made it out to be.

  
As Sakura slipped it over her head and smoothed out the material, she blushed at her reflection in the mirror. Would it be obvious how much effort she put into this? Would it turn him off to know she considered this a date? Was it weird to even consider it a date?

  
Sakura frowned and looked down at herself. A dress seemed a bit much now, especially if he truly did just want to hang out with her like friends. She looked at her reflection and straightened her shoulders to stand a bit taller. If he didn't want it to be a date...then why did he come all the way to the medical records department? She didn't buy the whole prisoner story. He wanted to ask her out. He wanted to see her.

  
She glanced down at herself in the mirror and smirked. He wanted her.

  
Running a comb through her hair, she decided to leave it wet, twisting it into a braid that started at the top of her head and landed in between her shoulder blades. It was 6:30 by the time she was done with her hair and she decided only a bit of light makeup would be best. She curled her eyelashes, applied some mascara and lip gloss before grabbing a jacket.

  
This time, Ino was waiting in the hallway, arms crossed over her chest and her lips pursed in annoyance. "So, you do have a date. With who?" She demanded. Sakura shrugged simply and ducked past her, heading straight for the door. "If I tell you, I'd have to kill you."

  
"You'll tell me or I'll kill you!" Ino shouted from her stance in the hallway. She hadn't budged an inch except to turn toward the pink haired girl. With a sigh, Sakura turned and held her arms out beside her in defeat. "I really can't tell you. Not because I don't want to...but because I don't want to ruin this. I'll tell you soon, I promise." She left the blonde standing in the hallway and hurried out into the night.

  
The moon was overhead, fat and full in the violet sky. It nearly lit the streets by itself and Sakura soaked up the moonlight as she walked to the cinema. The entire village seemed to have retired for the night with a few exceptions still roaming about. Sakura felt light on her feet, bouncing with each step as her skirt flowed around her freshly smooth thighs. She turned a corner and her stomach clenched at the sight of the bright bulbs of the cinema sign before her. The marquee displayed three movie titles that she had never heard of and advertised the vintage posters on the wall. She glanced around but there was no sign of Kakashi.

  
Maybe he was already inside.

  
Yeah right.

  
He would be late, as usual. Rolling her eyes, Sakura paid for a ticket and ducked inside as quickly as she could. She skipped the concessions and pulled the thick, dark curtain aside to step into the theater. The lights were already dimmed and the projector was rolling to life as the first movie started to play on the screen. She quickly counted four other people in the seats, none resembling Kakashi in anyway.

  
Thankfully, no one was in the back row and the nearest person to her was at least fifteen rows down. Sakura took a seat in the corner, nervously glancing around as the title screen lit the theater. She couldn't care less what the movie was about but, if she was going to be here alone, she may as well settle in.

  
Crossing her arms over her chest, she sat back in the folding seat and crossed her legs at the knees. She bounced her foot impatiently as the man on screen monologued about his life as a tough-as-nails cop on the streets of the big, crime-ridden city. Ten minutes in and it was already chock full of cliches so bad Sakura couldn't help rolling her eyes. But it wasn't long until she felt another presence heading down her row of chairs and she gasped at the sight of Kakashi lowering himself into the seat beside her. Nearly leaping out of the chair, she put a hand to her chest as he leaned back and said nothing to her as if she were a stranger and this was the only available seat.

  
Sakura tried to will her pulse back down to a normal rate and ignored the familiar ache that formed in her lower belly whenever he was around. She realized with a flush to her cheeks that she was recoiled over the opposite as if he were some kind of monster. Relaxing a bit, she managed to settle back into her seat and looked toward the screen. The minutes inched by excruciatingly slow and she bounced her foot, less annoyed now and definitely more nervous. She twirled the hem of her skirt between her fingers and forced herself to keep her head straight. She refused to look at him. If this was a date, then it was one of the strangest she had ever been on.

  
Then again, if he didn't acknowledge this as a date, then neither would she. She would just sit here, next to the man that turned her on so badly she almost couldn't take it, and she would watch this awful, noir movie and pretend everything was great. The cop on the screen was driving now, the background very obviously fake as tires screeched around corners yet he barely made a move. Oh god, did she have to sit through three more hours like this? Her body was wound so tight she was afraid she would snap halfway through and do something stupid.

  
She was screaming internally, her mind broken into two arguing sides that demanded she both stay and wait to see what happens and leave the theater altogether. It mixed in with the sounds of the movie and the sniffs and coughs from the other movie goers and Sakura bit her lip, wishing she could scream at them. But it was all silenced as she felt the warmth of his hand fall on her bouncing knee, stilling it almost instantly. Her body sang cheerfully at his touch and she leaned into his hand. It wasn't an orgasm, but it was the next best thing.

 

Sakura could feel a bit of the tightness in her body unwinding and she couldn't help the tug at the corner of her lips. Kakashi pulled at her knee until her legs were uncrossed and both feet were flat on the sticky floor. She stared into the darkness at her lap and felt her breath hitch in her throat. His fingertips lightly grazed her skin in tiny circles, sending tiny jolts running up her body and settling heavily between her thighs.

  
Her arms dropped to her sides and she clutched the worn fabric of the chair beneath her as he inched further up her leg. The hem of her skirt was touching his palm and Sakura watched as he slipped further beneath it. She felt her head swim, felt her heart beat pound wildly beneath her chest, and had trouble keeping her breath steady. At the feel of his fingers pulling on the flesh of her thigh, Sakura let her legs open a bit wider.

  
She glanced at the other four people in the theater but their focus was straight ahead on the movie screen. What if they turned around? Would they even be able to see? What if she made a sound? Just to be safe, Sakura took her bottom lip into her teeth. Yet, his hand was still, halfway up her thigh and dipping beneath the fabric of her skirt. He was inches away from her panties now and she could feel how wet they were. Why wasn't he moving? Why wasn't he touching her the way he had described on the phone?

  
Sakura let her head fall back against the seat and she glanced toward him. His eyes were on the screen but he didn't seem to be interested in whatever was happening. Gripping the seat beneath her, she inched herself forward, hoping he would take the hint. But, no. God, did he want her to beg? Because at that moment, she probably would. Her fingers trembled as she lifted her hand and laid it on top of his. She had never had someone this close to her before, had never imagined it would be Kakashi to be the first, and the thought made her feel warm and tipsy. Closing her eyes, Sakura pulled his hand further up her skirt and nearly sighed as his finger grazed her through her panties.

  
He moved slow at first, over the lace fabric and Sakura felt as if she could come just from that. She sunk further down into the chair and opened her legs more. Kakashi reached for her knee with his free hand and draped it over his own causing her to suck in a tiny breath. She put a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. The last thing she wanted was to get caught, not because of the embarrassment but because he would be forced to stop.

  
Kakashi pulled her panties to the side and his fingers found her flesh. He dipped one between her folds and she clamped her mouth around the moan that threatened the back of her throat. She was definitely wet and he had no trouble moving back and forth over her clit. It felt a thousand times better than anything she had done to herself. He moved in slow, small circles that drove her absolutely crazy with lust.

  
Her chest rose and fell as she panted beneath the palm of her hand. She put a foot to the back of the seat in front of her and rolled her hips against his fingers, the tightness rising deep inside her. She could feel it now, building more with every push and pull of his finger. God, she was close. Her shoe squeaked against the back of the chair as she pushed against it but her focus was on the way his fingers drew quick circles around her clit. The entire theater melted away from her in that moment. She came, her hand pressing against her mouth to keep the moans and whimpers hidden. As he took his hand away, Sakura closed her legs together and counted the waves that continued to hit her. How could he make her feel so good when he did nothing different than what she did to herself the night before?

  
She peeked out from her closed eye to see the theater still quiet and the movie still rolling. Dropping her hand from her mouth, Sakura risked a glance down between her legs. Her dress was bunched around her hips, her panties off center. Quickly, she readjusted and sat straighter in her chair, biting her lip. She felt a bit dirty for letting him do that to her in a theater with other people so close to them. But, it only fanned the flames that she had been feeling for a while now. She looked up at Kakashi, still as a statue, staring ahead at the movie as if they had been engrossed in it the entire time, like his fingers hadn't been inside her. She wondered if they were still wet.

  
Before she could utter a single syllable, Kakashi turned toward her. His eyes were dark and clouded with desire. Sakura felt her stomach drop and she couldn't help the tiny gasp in the back of her throat. She leaned into the hand he curled around her neck and let him pull her closer. His mask slid down between them before he was kissing her. It was so odd to her that this was exactly where she wanted to be. His kiss never failed to make her toes curl and it was something she thought about quite a lot through her days since they started this. Sakura put her knees in her seat, wishing she could just crawl into his lap. She wanted to feel his hands on her thighs, her hips, all over her body. Instead, Kakashi gently pushed her back, making a low growl beneath his breath. "I have to go." He whispered and Sakura sat back in disbelief.

  
"What?" She said, a bit too loud. A man in the first row turned and shushed them loudly and Sakura flushed bright pink.

  
"I'm on duty tonight...Right now in fact."

  
"Then, why did you invite me to come out with you?" She pouted and hung her head. Sure, she was glad she got to see him and experience an orgasm that nearly shattered her whole world, but she was feeling greedy and wanted more. Kakashi pressed a hand to her cheek, letting his thumb brush over her lower lip. It drove her crazy when he did it, and her stomach felt like it would explode with butterflies. "I wanted to see you."

  
"Oh." She breathed, wondering if the butterflies were actually pouring out of her by now.

  
"Come over tomorrow." He murmured, his lips nearly pressing against hers. The only thing she could do was nod, completely mesmerized under his spell. It frightened her a bit. If he could make her feel like this with just a kiss and his fingers, what would she be willing to do to get more? Blinking, Sakura sat back and searched his face, cursing the sudden darkness of the movie. She wanted to see him.

  
Kakashi slipped his mask back into place, gave her a wink and retreated back down the aisle. Even after he disappeared behind the curtain, Sakura sat still in her seat, clutching the arm rest that had separated the two. She was quickly losing the upper hand in this...whatever this was between them. He had caught her off guard on the phone and Sakura recognized that as her mistake. She hadn't been ready for it, though she enjoyed it, much like tonight. With a twist of her lips, Sakura hurried out of the theater. The streets were nearly empty and of course Kakashi was no where to be seen. Still riding the high that he always seemed to leave her with, she took the long way home, hoping to avoid her roommate.

  
She didn't feel like coming home to a barrage of questions. Besides, she had more important issues to attend. Sakura needed a bit of help from the stack of magazines she had hidden under her bed if she wanted to knock Kakashi's socks off.

* * *

 

AN- sorry it took so long to get this one out! Thanks for reading!


	6. The Art of the Tease

**Teach Me**

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"Morning." Sakura mumbled to her roommate over a steaming cup of coffee. The two girls looked miserable as they sat at the kitchen bar, stifling yawns behind their hands as they passed the coffee pot back and forth. It had been a late night for both of them. Ino had been on patrol until six in the morning and by the time she had gotten home, Sakura had only managed to get a couple hours of sleep.

She had spent the night pouring over those magazines, reading nearly every article that pertained to her situation and a few about fashion. Just before the sun peeked over the horizon, she had collapsed into her pillow and woke to the sound of Ino unlocking their door. Sakura had stashed her work under her pillow and trudged out into the kitchen, pulling her robe around her waist.

"What time did you get home, forehead?" Ino asked into her mug.

Sakura decided to ignore the usual insult, knowing the blonde was still ticked about not being let in on the big secret. With a shrug, Sakura swiped at the ring left on the counter from her cup. "A little after 8? It...It didn't turn out the way I thought. It ended up not being a date after all." Her cheeks flushed at the memory of Kakashi pulling her panties to the side and she shifted in the stool, crossing her legs tightly.

"So, can I know who this non-date was with?"

"It doesn't matter. I'd rather just forget about it, really." She gave a small shrug and hoped Ino wouldn't see through her white lie. It technically hadn't been a date. It was...an experience, if anything. Hiding another yawn behind her fingers, she leaned over the counter and poured the last bit of coffee down the sink. "I think I'm going to try to take a nap. I promised Shizune to help her with some stuff today." It pained her to lie, but she had no other choice. Ino was notorious for sniffing out gossip, especially if it had promise to be as juicy as what Sakura had actually been doing.

But, the blonde must have been genuinely too tired to care at the moment. She pulled her headband off, nodded and laid her head down on the counter. "I think I'll do the same."

As Sakura made her way back to her bedroom to get a few hours of sleep, she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. She hadn't technically lied to Ino, she did plan to go to the library that evening just not with Shizune. She had left a message on Kakashi's answering machine late the night before, a bit disappointed that he hadn't come home yet, telling him to meet her at the library at 6. It wasn't the sexiest place to meet, but it was perfect for what Sakura had planned.

 

Once she was in her room with the door shut tight behind her, she dropped to her knees and pulled her notebook out from under the bed. She climbed on to the mattress and laid back against the pillows as she glanced over her list. She was confident that she could accomplish everything on it and if everything went according to plan, Kakashi wouldn't know what hit him.

 

* * *

 

The clock on the wall of the third floor in the library ticked slowly past 6:30 but Sakura had taken into account his perpetual lateness this time. The library wouldn't close for another hour and a half which left her plenty of time and made sure the building was almost deserted by now. She had pulled numerous books from the shelves and piled them onto a secluded table behind the dusty, old card catalog. If anyone came to the third floor, they would have to walk around both the self-help and psychology section just to catch a glimpse of the table she was currently seated at. She had found two books about sexual power positions and she had to admit, the idea intrigued her. Before she had started all this there were only three positions she could imagine ever doing, but apparently there was a secret science to achieving different kinds of orgasms. And who knew there were more than one kind?

She blushed at the thought of her last orgasm, unsure she would be able to handle one stronger than that. Biting her lip, she flipped a page over and blanched at the image of a man sitting on a chair with the woman in his lap, her legs thrown over his shoulders. It didn't even seem possible to Sakura that a position like that could be enjoyable. She was certain she would be worrying the entire time about toppling over backwards. But, then again, Kakashi would be holding her up.

As her cheeks turned crimson at the thought, someone very close cleared their throat and Sakura slammed the book shut with a loud thump that echoed around her. She blinked up at a smirking Kakashi, hoping he hadn't seen what she had been staring so intently at. But the amused look behind his gaze told her otherwise. "Whatcha looking at, over there?" He asked, barely able to contain his chuckling.

Damn. Sakura flipped her hair over her shoulder and tried to look completely innocent. "Nothing. Sit!" She gestured to the only other chair at the table, directly across from her. Kakashi lowered himself down and glanced at the books surrounding him. "I'm sure you're a little confused but I really think you're underestimating what you can learn from books."

"You mean looking at pictures of other people having sex?" The corners of his mask lifted as he smiled and Sakura scowled as she folded her legs under her. She leaned across the table, ready to initiate number 1 on the list she had made the previous night. The Flash Of Skin.

She had purposefully wore a loose, cotton tank top that would definitely give anyone in front of her a good view if she leaned over. Pairing it with her cutest pink bra with the black polka dots, it would surely catch Kakashi's attention. She had a hard time not checking to see if he was looking and instead slid a book in front of him, flipping the page open to where she had marked it earlier. "There's a lot you can learn if you just give it a chance. You of all people should know these books have a lot to offer." Sakura glanced up through her lashes at him, hoping to catch his gaze staring down her shirt. He took the book and raised an eyebrow down at its pages instead. Damn.

"Why 'me of all people'?"

"Seriously? You've always got your nose stuck on Icha-Icha Paradise or Icha-Icha tactics."

Kakashi scoffed and folded his arms over his chest, obviously insulted that she would lump them in with a bunch of self-help books. "Those are different."

"Sure...whatever you say." Sakura sat back in her chair, trying not to feel too defeated about Kakashi's lack of interest in the obvious skin she was exposing. How could he have just ignored it? Yesterday he had been so bold to put his hand up her skirt and now it was like he didn't even notice she was a girl. Maybe she should have gone with a dress again today.

Glancing down from her own book, Sakura judged the tight, black jeans she had chosen. They had fit her four years ago but she had gained quite a bit of muscle since then and the rips around the thighs stretched as she had put them on. It definitely showed a lot of the skin on her legs and accentuated the curve of her ass but that meant nothing if he wasn't going to stare at it! Frowning, she pulled her own book into her lap and slipped her list out of the back pages, hidden from Kakashi by the edge of the table. Number one hadn't been as successful as she had hoped so maybe number two would illicit a better response from him. Accidental Grazes.

"So, you want me to do what, exactly?"

"Read a couple of pages and see if there's anything interesting. Like..." she twirled her hand in the air as she thought, "anything you see that you haven't tried."

"What if I've tried everything?"

She was surprised at the amount of jealousy that surged through her. Tried everything with whom, exactly? She pursed her lips to keep the question from spilling. Sighing, she raised an eyebrow. "That would make you a slut, Kakashi-sensei."

"I'm a slut for enjoying myself?"

"If you've been enjoying yourself with a lot of different people then yes!" Ugh, she had gotten carried away from her plan and in a jealous fit, she had crumpled the list in her fist. She smoothed the page out and slipped it back into the book before standing from her chair. She went to his side, grabbed the book from his hand and purposefully touched his shoulder with her hip as she searched for a page she had read earlier. It was something that had made her blush profusely the first time she had seen it. The title on the page was "Self-service" and had two figures sitting across from each other but not having sex. Instead, they were touching themselves in front of each other. The thought of someone seeing her touch herself made her feel a bit anxious and she didn't know if she would even be able to do anything in that situation. It seemed bizarre, but she was sure Kakashi hadn't done that. He doesn't seem patient enough.

Folding the book open, Sakura set it down in front of him, her hands grazing his forearm. She couldn't help noticing how soft his skin was against her hand. Kakashi leaned over the table and read the passage, taking a minute to look over the picture. His eyebrows raised high on his forehead, and Sakura was satisfied that he was impressed. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Have you tried that?"

"I can't say that I have. Have you?"

Her entire face turned pink as he looked up at her and she knew he was referring to their night on the phone. It hadn't been the same as this, but she had definitely touched herself in his company. "No." Was all the could reply as she turned back to her seat. She had been so confident earlier that day and was quickly losing hope that her plan would work. If anything, it was only making her want him more. The flippant way he ignored her very obvious attempts to get him to notice was strangely turning her on. It only made her want to try harder but what could she do to get his attention apart from climbing across the table and spreading her legs in front of him.

The mental image that flared in her mind had an immediate affect on Sakura and she squeezed her legs together, wishing she could concentrate on the pages of her books instead of the fantasy of him...it was too much for her to think about. She wasn't as virginal as she had been three weeks ago, but she didn't think she was ready to try oral sex.

Showing flashes of skin and accidental grazes hadn't worked too well. She doubted number 3 would either but it was worth a shot. Eye Contact.

This has been a little confusing in the magazines she had scoured. Was it eye contact during sex, during a make out season? Different articles advised different things. Biting her lip, Sakura folded her hands in her lap and glanced up at him. He didn't seem to notice her staring and she dropped her gaze back down. No. If she was going to do this, she had to keep it up. Slowly, she closed the book and slipped it onto the table top, leaning onto her elbow and stared at him with what she hoped was a very coy look in her eyes. It wasn't hard to feel sexy around him. He already made her feel wanted and just being near him made her skin feel feverish.

She watched him as her turned the page in the book, seeming quite interested in what it had to say. He rubbed his chin as he read the passages and Sakura glanced to his hands. His fingers were long and elegant despite the toll his ninja life had taken on them. She knew first hand how amazing those fingers felt on her but looking at them now only made her wish to hold them in her own. She wanted to trace the length from his fingernail to his wrist with her lips, have them in her hair, on her hips. Leaning forward in her chair, she put her chin in her hand and tilted her head to the side.

How had she never noticed how insanely gorgeous he was? Sure he always had a mask, but his eyes alone made her want to do things she never thought she would be capable of. He could make her feel two inches tall with that gaze like she was still a stupid twelve year old. And yet, the way he had been looking at her last night as the movie lit his face made her dizzy just thinking about it. There was such dark desire behind his eyes as he looked at her, it made her feel like she had flames licking at her insides.

Kakashi lifted his gaze to her now and Sakura forced herself not to look away, which was suddenly a mistake. She felt trapped, unable to look away from the fire that flared toward her. Oh god, how could he make her want him so bad with just a glance? No, this was supposed to be turning him on! What had the magazines said to do after getting eye contact? She couldn't remember. He had pulled her in, hypnotized her to the point where the library didn't even exist to her anymore. She had to do something before he broke their contact and got the upper hand on her again.

Sakura reached across the table, never looking away from him, and plucked a random book off the stack to his left. As she set it down in front of her, she let her eyes fall to the pages and forbade herself from looking back up. She could feel him watching her several minutes after she had turned her attention away and felt sweat beading up on her body. Had someone turned the air conditioning off? It was as if she had stepped from an icy pool into a steaming sauna. She had to find an excuse to step away for a moment.

Frowning, she snapped the book close and stood. "This one's no good." She mumbled, turning toward the shelf where she had found it. Stepping on her tip toes, she pushed the book back into its proper place and risked a glance back at the table. Kakashi was no longer watching her, but he didn't seem to be too interested in the book she had given him either. Was it time for Number Four? It was the one she would have most trouble with, only because she didn't think her mouth could form the words she needed to. Plant A Sexual Thought In His Head.

The article had mentioned several examples, but they all seemed so silly to say. She twisted her fingers in front of her nervously, staring at the back of Kakashi's head, her throat itching to speak. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she leaned a shoulder against the bookshelf and glanced around to see if anyone was within earshot. It seemed they had the entire floor to themselves. "I wonder if anyone would hear us if we practiced some of these moves right here." She had said it all without stumbling over the words but Kakashi made no move. Had he heard her? Was he truly concentrating that much on the book?

Damn. One out of four were not good stats. Maybe she needed to reevaluate her list and come back with something that hit harder. Sakura turned back to the bookshelf behind her, intending to snatch that book back she had put up. It had quite a few good chapters in it that she could look at later. As she reached for the top shelf, a shadow passed over her and Kakashi's hands were on her hips before she could even grab the book. With a gasp, she tried to turn in his arms but he kept her still, her heart beating so fast it hurt.

He ran his fingers up her hips to her side, pulling the fabric of her shirt around her ribs as he went. The cold air against her heated skin made her shiver against him. He pulled her hair to the side and leaned down, his mouth barely touching the sensitive space between her neck and shoulder. She could feel his breath against her, stirring the flames that burned hot inside her. With one hand still gripping her hip, he pulled her back until she was pressed tightly up against him. She could feel how hard he was as he pushed himself against her backside and Sakura couldn't help the groan deep in her throat. She reached back to touch him but he stopped her.

Kakashi put her hands on the book shelf in front of her before running his fingers over her arms and down her sides. Her knees felt weak and her head was spinning. Looping his fingers around her bra straps at her shoulders, he pulled them down until the garment was barely held up around her chest. He dipped one hand underneath her shirt, cupping her breast with the same fingers she had been so entranced by earlier. As he pinched and grasped her nipple, Sakura felt her breath hitch in her chest. His mouth was against her ear and she could feel the flesh of his lips as he kissed her neck. "Unbutton your pants." He demanded and Sakura felt her eyes go wide.

"What?" She breathed.

"Unbutton. Your. Pants." He nipped at her neck, pulling at her skin with his teeth as he spoke. With trembling fingers, she lowered her hands to her jeans and slowly popped the line of buttons one by one. He placed her hands back on the shelf and she laid her head back against his chest. From where they were, she could see the elevator doors, would be able to look at anyone stepping onto the floor. Would they see them? Did she even care? Her heart raced hard in her chest and she gasped as Kakashi plunged his hand behind the fabric of her panties, finding it just as easy as the previous night to slip his fingers between her folds.

He groaned against her throat, pressing his cock harder against her as his fingers moved slowly over her clit. Sakura felt herself tense as he slipped further that he had went last night, her mouth open to protest but fell silent as he curled a finger inside her. Kakashi pulled her head back and pressed a hungry kiss to her mouth, his tongue teasing hers as he turned his attention back to her clit.

There were so many things happening to her at once, it was hard to concentrate. The fear of being caught, the kiss that made her feel faint and the amazing way his fingers knew exactly how to move over her created a whirlwind of pleasure so intense it frightened her. Her body felt as if it was wound so tight she might shatter. Kakashi pulled away from her mouth and pressed a trail of kisses down to her throat, sucking gently on the skin as he circled his finger faster against her.

Sakura was panting heavily, her hips bucking against his hand as her body begged for the sweet release she had been needing all day. Letting her head fall back against him, she clamped her lip between her teeth, wishing she could make this feeling last forever. She felt high, as if she were teetering on a cliff and one more touch, one more press of his fingers would push her over the edge. As she came, he covered her mouth with his to quiet her moaning. Sakura's body collapsed against him as she rode the waves her orgasm, unable to comprehend how something could feel this amazing.

He pulled his hand from her panties and turned her around in his arms. She felt like the world was turning in slow motion. Her back hit the bookshelf behind her but she could barely feel the impact. Kakashi lifted her off the ground, wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands were in her hair, gripping a handful at the back of her head. He pressed his mouth against her throat, up her chin, and captured her lips with his. She knew she was no where near mentally ready, but physically, Sakura wanted nothing more than for him to fuck her.

"You drive me crazy." He murmured against her mouth. She couldn't help her smile as she leaned back, running her fingers through the hair on the sides of his head. He closed his eyes at the feel of her hands and Sakura took the moment to commit his face to her memory. His mask hung, bunched around his throat and forgotten. She couldn't believe all those years she had wondered what was behind it. He was more handsome than she had ever imagined.

"Likewise." She whispered.

Across the third floor of the library, the elevator dinged and Sakura felt the blood drain from her face. Kakashi dropped her and she quickly buttoned her pants as she hurried back to their table hidden behind the card catalog. She felt her entire body blush crimson and she stacked her books as neatly as she could as the elevator doors opened. Kakashi's mask was back in place, but he sat calmly down at the table, returning to the book he had been reading.

"You know, I think you're right about this." He pointed down at the pages as Sakura glanced around the shelves. The librarian was pushing a cart full of books and made her way down the row of shelves, slipping each one into it's proper place. She turned back to him, folding her arms over her chest. "I might have to check a few of these books out." He gathered a few of them into his arms and stood, winking down at the blushing girl.

Sakura licked her lips as she watched him make his way through the shelves. He said hello to the librarian and paused before the elevator doors. "Sakura?" He called back at her.

"Coming!"

* * *

 

AN- Can we guess what Kakashi's fetish is? 


	7. Possession

 

**Teach Me**

* * *

 

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* * *

 

Sakura lowered herself to the floor and leaned back against the couch as a big bowl of popcorn passed to her. She took a handful of the buttery treat and stuffed it into her mouth, turning to glance back at her two best friends on the couch. "Do we have to watch a horror movie?" She asked, her words muffled by her mouthful.

Hinata gave a small shrug of her shoulders as she hugged the pillow in her lap against her chest. "It's Ino's pick." She dug her hand into the bowl and popped a piece in her mouth.

"She picked last time." Sakura grumbled as the movie title appeared on the TV screen. Truthfully, she hated horror movies. She would always spend the next few hours after watching them wondering if her house was haunted, or if the shadow in the corner of her room was a crazed murderer and not just a chair full of clothes. And the ones she hated the absolute most were the kinds Ino happened to prefer; Demonic Possessions.

The ones being possessed always had to have their heads turn backwards or crawl across the ceiling in weird, jerky movements and none of the films ever had a happy ending. Sakura shuddered at the thought of someone's head spinning around and slid closer to the other girls, eyeing the darkened hallway to her left. From behind her, Ino sniffed and pulled her legs onto the cushions. "Yeah, but seeing as how I'm leaving tomorrow, I get the pick."

It was true, Ino was heading out on an escort mission for Tsunade and wouldn't be back for at least a week. Which only made Sakura hate their decision for a horror movie. She could barely stand it knowing Ino was asleep in the room next to her, snoring loud enough to keep her awake. But, a whole week with no one in the house with her?

She didn't want to think about it.

Maybe she could convince Hinata to stay a few nights with her. Sakura shifted on the floor and turned to grab the bowl of popcorn when an idea struck her like a smack to the back of the head. Or...she could ask Kakashi to stay with a night or two. Her hand froze in the bowl as she stared with wide eyes down at the popcorn. Should she invite him over? Would he even agree to come? Was that too early in their strange, whatever-they-were relationship?

Her stomach twisted in time to the creepy violin music of the movie and she nearly jumped a foot in the air as Ino smacked her hand out of the bowl. "Are you already freaking out, Forehead? It's not even on yet."

Sakura turned back around to face the television, chewing on her thumbnail while her mind drifted miles away from the foggy graveyard scene on the screen. She had never imagined having a boy spend the night with her. No, not a boy. Kakashi was definitely not a boy.

Having him spend the night was an enormously big deal. She didn't want there to be any implications to her having him stay but she highly doubted he would assume she was ready for sex. They had barely advanced passed the basics of foreplay and what they had done, she had enjoyed immensely. But, was she seriously ready for something like oral sex?

The thought had always made her feel a bit queasy and she didn't know if she would ever enjoy receiving or giving it. Then again, less than a month ago she was still so nervous about kissing she had thrown up on someone's face. And she never could have imagined as she stood in Kakashi's doorway that she would ever be planning an entire night alone with the man either. Of course, she didn't think he would be this good. But, oh was he good.

Sakura touched her bottom lip the way he had done to her in the hospital's filing room. It was over in a second but had sent chills rolling over her body at his touch and she found herself longing for that again. Her stomach clenched as she tried to focus on the movie playing before her, but she was far away, only able to think of all the different things he had taught her so far. From the moment she had kissed him in his living room, to him pushing her against the bookshelves in the library, his hand dipping between her thighs, it was still so raw in her mind and each time she thought about it, her body responded, wanting it all over again. Honestly, it had felt so wrong to be doing those things in public and not in the privacy of a bedroom, but instead of turning her off, it had been like throwing fuel on a fire.

Then again, after their first kiss, just being near to him was the same way. She always felt as if she was burning next to him, as if the very nearness of his body made her temperature spike. Sakura could feel sweat along the small of her back and bit her lip. Was she seriously turning herself on thinking about him while watching a movie with her friends? Gulping down her shame, she quickly excused herself to the bathroom.

She shut the door behind her, ignoring Ino calling her a scardy-cat, and rushed to splash a bit of cold water on her face. If just thinking about him staying the night made her react like this, how would she handle him actually being here? It was too nerve wracking to think about. She had to make a plan, had to figure out what their next lesson would be. Would he move her on to something more intense like a blow job? Her face flushed and she felt her head swim. The thought of seeing him naked both thrilled her and made her feel so dizzy she had to brace herself against the sink. Sure, she had felt him against her backside and thighs as they made out on his couch and he fingered her in the library...but feeling was much different than seeing...and tasting.

She splashed another handful of water to her cheeks and held herself steady against the porcelain, pedestal sink. Maybe she needed someone else's help with this. Eyeing the door, Sakura grabbed a towel and patted her face dry, wondering if she should call on her friends for a bit of advice on this subject. Hinata and Ino were both sexually active and she knew they had both gone down on guys before, although she wished she didn't have the mental image of Naruto getting head. Shaking the image out of her mind, she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and headed back out into the living room.

A woman and man were arguing over the possibility of their house being haunted by demons on the TV screen as Sakura took a seat back in front of the couch. She pulled her legs up to her chest, the words sticking like glue in her mouth. She wouldn't tell them about Kakashi, that was for sure. But, she had to ask them about the basics of a blow job without being specific about who it was for. "Can I ask a random, crazy question?" She asked, forcing the words out, not looking away from the TV.

Ino chomped on a handful of popcorn, her eyes glued to the television screen as she gave a grunt as her answer. Taking a deep breath, Sakura wished she didn't have to ask these sorts of questions to them. She wished she could just open a book and it would tell her exactly what to expect, what she should do, and how he would enjoy it. There was no such book like that, though. Her friends would have to be the ones to help her with this one.

"How do you go down on a guy?"

From behind her, Ino coughed and gasped on her mouthful of popcorn and she scrambled for her water bottle as Hinata smacked her between the shoulder blades. Sakura turned on the floor and stared up at them with wide eyes. She hadn't expected the question to nearly choke her best friend. As Ino set the water bottle down, she stared back at Sakura in bewilderment and paused the movie.

"God damn, Forehead! Is that what you think about during horror movies?"

"No! I'm just curious about it. I mean...You've both done it and I haven't." She shrugged as she stared down at the rug beneath her. "Do you like doing it?"

Both Hinata and Ino exchanged glances before the blonde gave a sigh. "I mean. They don't call it a job for no reason, you know?" She chuckled to herself as Hinata smacked her elbow, scolding her. "Sorry. That was a bad joke. It's not really about what you like when you're doing it, though. You do it for him."

"Does it not make you...gag?" Sakura scowled and wrinkled her nose, knowing she had a pretty poor gag reflex. She didn't want to be bad at it, but she honestly didn't know what else to do besides practice sticking some thing halfway down her throat to test it. The thought was humiliating. There was no way to practice giving a blow job on a banana or cucumber.

"Yes. You'll gag if you try to stick it all the way down. But, seriously. Guy's are so visual, they're more into the way you look while doing it, than the actual feeling of it." Ino blushed as she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder, glancing to the girl at her side but the Hyuuga tapped her chin with a small 'hmm' sounding from her lips.

She leaned forward a bit, her eyes narrowing on Sakura. "Why do you want to know this?" She asked in a quiet voice.

Sakura felt her face go pale and she quickly tried to think of a lie that would be believable. She knew she could never let them know about Kakashi. They wouldn't understand and she seriously didn't want to explain everything from the beginning. Besides, it was so much fun having a secret. "I just don't get the appeal. For a guy or a girl, really."

Ino sat up and held her hands in the air. "Whoa, wait. Are you thinking about doing this with anyone? Is this about the guy from the other night?"

"What guy from the other night? Are you dating someone?" Hinata beamed as she glanced between the two girls but Sakura shook her head.

"No. I told you. I'm just curious."

"Because this is a big deal. If you're already to the point with this guy where you're thinking about going to third base, then we're going to need to know who he is." The blonde put her hands on her hips and stared at Sakura sternly, as if she were a mother having 'the talk' with her little girl. Rolling her eyes, she stood to her feet and stomped to the kitchen to give herself some distance from the two girls. It was too late to take it all back and there was no way Ino wasn't going to try her hardest to get a bit of gossip from Sakura now.

They followed her to the kitchen as she grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge. She gulped it, hoping they couldn't see the ring of sweat under her armpits on her T-shirt. "Who is he, Sakura?" Ino demanded as she stood akimbo, the look on her face curious and angered that she was even having to demand to know. She was pissed she was having to drag it out of Sakura, but there was no way she was going to tell them now. Her lips were sealed.

"No one." She croaked, unable to believe her throat was still so dry after downing nearly half the water from the bottle. "I'm serious. I've been taking those stupid quizzes in your magazines and one said my signature sex move was my blow job skills. Since I have no blow job skills, I was just curious about it!" It was sort of frightening how easily the lie rolled off her tongue, but it was only a half lie. She had taken the quiz the night before but had gotten the result of 'reverse cowgirl' which only raised further questions in her inexperienced mind. She wasn't about to ask them about that, though.

The silence stretching between them in the kitchen was almost deafening and Sakura stood like a criminal before a jury who had to decide her fate. Ino slowly crossed her arms over her chest as Hinata looked at her with more forgiveness than anger. She smiled and rubbed Sakura's arm. "It'll happen for you. It's only been a month or so since Naruto and I became sexually active--"

Ino rolled her eyes to the ceiling and let her hands fall to her sides. "You sound like a science book." She ignored the glare from Hinata.

"I know." Sakura held up her hands up, not exactly wanting to hear about her former team mate's sex life. "It's alright, really. I regret bringing it up." She gave a small nervous chuckle as she took another sip form her water. The two girls glanced to each other before accepting her answer.

"Fine. I have to pee, anyway." Ino announced, whirling around to head to the bathroom. Sakura was relieved that she could have a moment of peace without her accusing eyes searching her face for any hint of a lie.

She leaned against the counter and debated on making another bag of popcorn since she had been too busy thinking of Kakashi and his lessons to enjoy the last. As the bathroom door shut down the hall behind Ino, Sakura turned to the cabinet and swung the door opened.

"It's Kakashi-san, isn't it?" Hinata whispered and Sakura felt her face both flush and drain completely of color in a matter of seconds. She gripped the cabinet door hard enough that the wood creaked in protest and she peeked around it with wide eyes. Hinata kept her head down, staring at the tile beneath their feet as her cheeks reddened.

The words refused to form in Sakura's throat as her mind raced over what she could possibly even say to her. Deny it? Laugh it off? It didn't matter, though. Her silence was enough of an answer for the girl. She looked up at Sakura, a small smile twisting the corner of her lips. "I don't mean to be nosy. I saw you a few weeks ago. I was walking home from Naruto's and you were walking ahead of me and went into his apartment building together. I didn't think much of it until Ino suggested you might be sneaking around with someone. It's him though, right?"

Sakura could only nod as she thought back to that night she had seen Hinata and Naruto and had sneaked around the block to avoid them. She thought she had been so sneaky and so sure no one had seen her. Her blood froze and she wondered if it was possible that someone else could have seen them. They were getting so bold, doing things in public. God, if anyone had seen them at the library she would die.

Hinata smiled sweetly as the toilet flushed from down the hallway. Sakura felt her heart flutter suddenly in her chest at the though of Ino hearing any of this. She stepped forward and took Hinata by the shoulder. "It's not what you think, though. We're not...together. We're just...I mean, I-"

"Your secret is safe with me, Sakura-chan." She put a finger to her lips with a wink and reached up to grab another bag of popcorn from the cabinet. As Ino strolled back into the kitchen, Sakura stumbled back and let the two pop another bag into the microwave.

"Wanna grab us some chocolate, Forehead?" Ino asked over her shoulder as she dumped the last bowl of kernels into the trash. Sakura turned to the bag of chocolates above the fridge, her body on autopilot as her mind continued to scream in chaos. Would this change anything? No. She still definitely wanted Kakashi to spend the night. But, she wasn't so sure of how she felt about Hinata knowing about them. She trusted the girl to keep a secret. Hell, she had kept her feelings for Naruto to herself for years, though everyone else could see through her.

But, maybe this was a good thing that she knew. She had been in the same virginal boat as Sakura a few months ago and still knew how it felt to be scared. It was nice knowing she wasn't so alone in this and though her question about blow jobs hadn't gone as well as she had liked, she felt a bit more confident. The three settled back into their places in the living room as Ino continued the movie from where they had paused it. At least now there was so much on Sakura's mind, that the horrors and demonic presences in the film were the last thing she was thinking about.

* * *

 

Sakura knew she was dreaming. She remembered the horror movie from earlier in the night, knew it would give her nightmares, and she was prepared. But she didn't expect to see Kakashi in her dream. He was laying on his back, arms folded beneath his head as he stared down at her from the ceiling of her bedroom. He wasn't crawling or having his head spin around, but it was quite unnerving to see someone laying above you, defying gravity.

His eyes were red and black swirls of his lost Sharingan and Sakura couldn't help the tightness in her stomach that grew as he studied her. She laid under her sheets, staring up at him as he lazily rest beside her ceiling fan. He spun the blades with his foot as he sat up, reaching down at her with an outstretched hand. She hesitated, not wanting to leave the comfort and safety of her bed but even in her dreams she trusted him. Sakura sat up in her bed and grabbed his hand, letting him pull her from the bed that suddenly sank into a raging sea of black, crashing waves that tried to snatch her ankles and pull her back beneath the depths.

Gasping at the sudden change of her bedroom, she let Kakashi wrap his arms around her and pull her to the safety of the ceiling. "What are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly against the bare flesh of his throat. Even asleep, she could smell how delicious he was.

"You wanted me here." He whispered, his lips grazing across her jaw. Sakura closed her eyes as she felt the water below them rising. Waves crashed against the walls of her bedroom, spraying them with sea water. She knew if they didn't leave soon they would drown, but he was pulling her closer, his hands tilting her face toward his and she was desperate for his kiss. "We might drown." She whispered. Her mouth was so close to his but he kept the tiny distance between them, watching the rising sea behind her back with his crimson eyes.

"We might. So, let's make this count." He looked at her and she felt the water touch her back, making her gasp and arch her chest into him. Kakashi slipped an arm around her waist and rolled them until she was laid down on her ceiling. She could see the swirling, black waters at his back, lapping at his elbows and shoulders. It would cover them soon.

But the impending doom of the water was all but forgotten as he lowered himself and pressed his lips to hers. Sakura snaked her hands around his shoulders, dipping into the rising water, as she pressed him closer to her. She felt his hands at her sides, in her hair, slipping beneath her nightgown. He was every where against her flesh and she welcomed his touch. Kakashi pushed himself between her thighs and she curled her fingers around the hem of her gown, inching it up until it pooled around her waist. She knew she should have been wearing panties, but she wasn't and Kakashi groaned against her mouth as he pressed a hand to her.

For some reason, it made sense to Sakura that they had to have sex to save themselves from the ocean filling up her bedroom. It was the only way they could survive. She found the waist of his pants and unbuttoned them, pulling him free. "Sakura--" He began to protest but she shook her head, brushing his hair out of his swirling eyes.

"We have to." She whimpered, pushing her hips up to him. The water had nearly covered his body by now. There wasn't much time. Sakura let her head fall back against her ceiling and took one last, deep breath before she would be completely under water. She could feel it creep along her body, filling her nose and ears.

Kakashi pushed himself inside her and Sakura felt herself falling away from the ceiling at her back. It was too fast to be falling through the water and she gasped as her eyes opened to her normal, quiet and dim bedroom. The sun was peeking over the horizon, washing her room in a dark grey light. The hair along her arms and legs stood on end as her body continued to buzz from the dream. It had been so real and she found herself wishing she could go back.

Sakura pushed her hair away from her face and sat up on her elbows, making sure she was truly awake after all. Her ceiling fan spun slowly above her and unfortunately, Kakashi was no where to be seen. She could feel the fabric of her panties was damp between her thighs and she sighed heavily as she fell back against her pillows, staring up at the space he had been laying. She closed her eyes and pictured his own, crimson and black staring down at her, making her body react under his gaze. It wasn't fair that even in a dream, she was powerless to the affect he had on her.

It had been such a stupid dream but amazing at the same time. Her skin tingled at the memory of his fingers dancing over her sides and down her arms. Kicking the sheets off of her legs, Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep now and if she did, her dreams wouldn't be anything like it had been. Dreaming was rare for her and it was bizarre to have one so vivid and so lasting.

Sakura stripped off her night shirt and grabbed a pair of leggings and sports bra before slipping on a pair of running shoes. She gathered her hair into a ponytail and stepped out into the hallway. Ino had apparently headed out even earlier for her mission. Her room was dark and empty. It made the kunoichi shiver a bit and hurry out the door. She never liked being alone in a dark house.

The streets were void of anyone who wasn't working to open the shops and markets and those that were ignored Sakura as she ran passed them. Her feet pounded the gravel roads as the sun peeked out from behind a set of heavy clouds and soon her breath came out in quick, hot puffs. By the time she reached the gates of the village, morning was in full swing and sweat glistened across her neck and chest.

She took a minute to rest at the guard house near the gates, resting her hands on her knees as she took in several deep breaths. It felt good to feel the burn and ache in her muscles again. She hadn't had a proper work out since the night in the gym with Kakashi, though he had given her a few work outs of his own. She blinked down at her shoe laces, unable to help the smile that tugged at her lips before stretching her arms over her head. "Hey Sakura." A voice startled her and she spun toward the guard shack.

Choji sat leaning back on two legs of his chair, feet propped on the desk with a bag of powdered doughnuts on his lap. He held the bag out to her. "Want some breakfast?" He shook it and the doughnuts rolled over one another, making her stomach growl. Sakura shook her head, though. "No thanks. I wouldn't be able to stop and I still have to run home."

"I didn't think snacks were allowed on guard duty." Sakura whirled around, her heart fluttering wildly at the sight of Kakashi strolling slowly toward them, his nose stuck in those infamous books. He folded the corner of the page down as he scowled playfully at Choji. The nin set his chair down promptly on all four legs and threw the bag of treats under the desk.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He hurriedly swept the crumbs from his flac jacket and busied himself with a few reports that lay scattered about the desk. Sakura ignored him and turned to Kakashi, placing her hands on her hips as she tilted her head, curious. "What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to deny the dance of butterflies in her stomach. She didn't quite know what to think of the warmth flowing through her body. It wasn't the same as the burning desire he ignited in her most of the time. It was...pleasant and made her feel as if her insides were glowing.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." His eyes glanced down to her body quickly and she blushed, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Oh, bad dreams?" His words made her blink and her heart skipped a few beats. How had he known? There was no way he could have known about her dream. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, blinking up at him in confusion.

"Yeah, sort of. We watched a scary movie last night and she had to leave this morning for a few days...I didn't want to be home alone." She swallowed. This was it. This was the perfect moment to ask him to stay the night with her. She still hadn't figured out a plan, but that was alright. She was a quick thinker and besides, if they ended up sticking to the same thing they had been doing, well...that was perfectly fine with her anyway.

Kakashi tapped his chin as he glanced at the guard shack a few feet behind Sakura. Crap. She had forgotten Choji was still back there. Was he even listening? Kakashi nodded toward the small alley behind the shack where the bushes had become over grown under the shade of the trees. Sakura felt her stomach hit the ground as she followed behind him. Were they seriously sneaking around so close to someone? Sure, Choji was usually oblivious to anything like this, but the fear of getting caught was rising quickly in Sakura's throat.

She felt as if she could scream, her body wound so tight she was afraid it would burst any minute now. As soon as they were behind the shack with only the village wall and the bushes surrounding them, Kakashi pulled her close, snaking a hand around her waist. He brushed her sweat dampened hair from her face and the corner of his mask lifted in a smirk. He was enjoying making her squirm. She knew her hesitation was written across her face, she could feel it and he thought it was amusing. "You're pushing it." She warned in a whisper, poking a finger to his chest as he chuckled softly.

Kakashi buried his face against her neck, taking in a deep breath. "You smell too good to resist."

"I think you just enjoy making me squirm in public places." Sakura let her head fall to the side. She loved the feel of his warm breath against her neck. It made her knees feel weak and her head swim in a heady fog. His lips grazed her throat. "Mm. You're right about that." The feel of his teeth nipping at her flesh made her gasp and she had to bite her lip to keep herself quiet.

"Ino's on a mission."

"Oh?" He murmured against her jaw, making her wonder if he even heard a word she was saying. His hands roamed down her back and over the curve of her ass, squeezing gently as he pulled her so close there was no room between them.

"I'll be all alone in the apartment for days." She whispered as his mouth crept closer to hers. Kakashi hesitated, his eyes opening to stare down at her. Sakura couldn't help smirking now and she could see why he enjoyed this so much. It was quite fun to make him speechless for once. "Free to walk around in just my panties. But, I might get scared."

"Oh, so you'll probably need someone there to keep you safe, right?" He pressed a kiss to her lips softly, "Someone who's quite strong and unafraid of anything that might go bump in the night?" His voice deep and raspy as he whispered, making the flesh on Sakura's arms raise. She felt a shudder roll through her and was glad he was holding her up as her knees seemed to weaken at the sound.

She nodded, her eyes focused on his lips so close to her own. Instead of kissing her like she so desperately wanted, Kakashi shrugged and stood to his full height, looking out over the top of her head. "I should probably go find someone for you then."

"You better quit joking around and kiss me, already." He chuckled at her fierce threats and he pressed his lips against hers. It wasn't quite as strange as her dream, but kissing behind the guard shack so early in the morning definitely felt odd. It was a good odd. Very good. Sakura felt a moan rise from her throat and pushed back against him until his back hit the wall with a small thud. For a second, she feared Choji would have heard the noise and would be out to investigate, but the feel of Kakashi's tongue against hers made it all melt away.

After several minutes of making out behind the guard shack, Kakashi pulled away to catch his breath and leaned his forehead against hers. "What time should I come over?"

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AN- Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. It was just stuck in my head and I had no way to write it. But, I'm satisfied with the way it turned out. Definitely can't wait to post the next chapter! It's...smutty :)


	8. Shape Of You

***This chapter is a bit more explicit than it has been in the past, just a small warning***

 

_Shape Of You_

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The apartment was as quiet as it had been when she left and Sakura shut the door behind her with a shudder. She stepped to the entertainment center where Ino kept a stereo and a stack of CD's on top before pushing play on whatever was in the player. It was a playlist that they often worked out to and the beats were all fast and cheerful.

It was better than hearing nothing but silence and Sakura couldn't believe she was already missing her roommate when 24 hours hadn't even passed. But, she was missing Kakashi more and the small taste he had given her earlier had only been enough to get her through the next few hours.

She had told him to come over after dark, and that they could watch a movie and order take-out from a greasy, cheap restaurant. If she was being honest with herself, Sakura was more excited about just having him around her. Sure, the intense make-out sessions and earth shattering orgasms he gave her were great but she had come to enjoy his company almost as much as the other stuff.

Sakura shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it to the couch. She had a long list of things to do before dark and no desire to do any of them. Instead, she walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, devouring nearly half in one sip. She eyed the small pile of mail sitting on the counter that she had been neglecting. There were two bills and a magazine addressed to Yamanaka Ino. It was the next issue of her guilty pleasure and Sakura scoffed.

It seemed like such a long time ago she was sitting in her floor, scouring the pages for any tips and tricks that could help her out with the 'lessons' Kakashi was giving her. But, he had been right. Experiencing it for herself had taught her more. In fact, the last time she tried to follow the tips she had failed miserably. Though, it had resulted in one of those earth shattering orgasms, she hadn't been successful in teasing him at all. Maybe it was a bit too advanced for her.

She was still a virgin after all and despite the four or five encounters with Kakashi, she was far more inexperienced than she cared to be. Biting her lip, she slid the magazine closer to her and flipped through the pages, wondering what he would teach her tonight. She turned to a page with an ad for lingerie and a woman laying seductively across a bed of black velvet.

Sakura knew she wasn't as blessed as the woman in the ad, but she knew she looked good in her underwear and wondered if Kakashi would think so as well. He seemed to enjoy himself when they met...Maybe it was his turn to get something in return.

She chewed her thumbnail as she wondered if she was capable of being sexy like the lingerie girl, or of she could even bring herself to look at him naked without feeling like she would pass out. Her stomach already felt the roll of nausea at the thought, but other parts of her body were begging for it.

Her fingers turned the pages but her mind was a hundred miles away, mostly day-dreaming about what he would look like naked. She had felt his muscles, had seen him partially shirtless a few times in her youth, and knew from the press of his hips against her ass enough to form a vision in her imagination. It was no where near as good as the real thing, that she was sure, but it definitely managed to get her heart racing.

Feeling a familiar ache deep inside her, Sakura slid the magazine away and shook her head. She didn't need to get caught up in her fantasies distracting her from the list of chores.

Over the next several hours, she set about cleaning and making sure the house didn't look as if two immature girls lived there. She hid the stack of magazines that Ino kept by the couch and lit some candles so the whole place smelled like a freshly baked apple pie. Once she was satisfied with the way the front of the apartment looked, she decided to tackle her room. She had already organized her closet and all that was left was vacuuming and straightening.

By the time the sun was setting behind the gates of the village, Sakura was turning her blow dryer off. She flipped her hair back and ran a brush through the pink locks, debating on whether or not to apply some makeup or not. She had bathed, shaved and trimmed everything she could possibly think of on her body, had coordinated her panties and bra and even dabbed a bit of Ino's perfume on her wrists. Sakura couldn't remember a time she took this much care in how she looked for another person.

She glanced down at the lacy fabric of her bra and touched the black, silk bow between her breasts. The material was almost completely see through with a few black flowers sewn in, covering her nipples but not much else. The panties were the same, but with flowers on the hips. It left nothing up to the imagination and Sakura wished she could be so daring to answer the door wearing only it. The thought made her laugh and she knew she would need quite a bit more time before she was okay with that.

As she grabbed the shirt she had ultimately settled on, she hesitated. It was a top she had worn several times in the past, and was definitely comfy and cute...But, why go to the trouble of wearing such a sexy pair of lingerie to hide under something comfortable? She bit her lip and opened her closet, reaching toward the back where the clothes that had been handed down from Ino when she had outgrown them in the chest. There were several that she could choose from but she decided on a black halter top that tied into a bow at the back of her neck.

She turned to her mirror and straightened her hair, turning to the side as she judged the short length of the shirt. It fell to just below her ribs and hugged her tightly, accentuating any ounce of curves that she possessed. It wasn't a formal shirt and looked faded from too many washes, but it definitely made her feel sexy. She paired it with a pair of black linen pants that sat low on her hips.

"I feel slutty." She muttered, deciding the other shirt would be a better choice for the night. He didn't need to think she was a total skank. But before she could untie the bow at her neck, a knock echoed through the apartment and she froze. She glanced at herself in the mirror, eyes wide and heart pounding. She hadn't realized it was so late.

Shit. There was no time to change now.

Hurrying from the bedroom, she blew the candles out quickly and waved away the smoke before hurrying to the door. She glanced through the peephole but could only see the dark outline of a shoulder. Twisting the lock, she pulled the door open and felt her breath leave her body at the sight of him. He looked no different than any other time she saw him, but the way he turned to her, his eyes moving from her face to her body made tiny electric pulses race across her skin. Every exposed inch of skin on her body sizzled under his scrutiny and now she wished she had been brave enough to answer the door in her bra and panties. If he looked at her like this with clothes on, she wondered how he would react to no clothes at all.

Kakashi's eyes met hers once more and he raised a hand, a white, plastic bag hanging from his middle finger. Sakura could instantly smell an assortment of deliciousness inside and she flashed a smile. "What's this?" She asked, stepping aside so he could come inside.

"A long time ago, you promised me that I could treat you to dinner a few times." He watched her as she shut the door behind him and leaned her head to the side, thinking back to that night. She had almost forgotten the night he had taken her to that back alley bar and she had told him not to be gentle with her. It seemed like such a long time ago. "Since you didn't get to enjoy your meal hot that night, I decided to make up for it. Now, I'm kind of regretting that decision." His eyes flashed dark and heady as he glanced over her body once again.

Sakura felt her cheeks redden and she took the bag of take-out from him and set it on the counter in the kitchen. "You can pick out a movie if you want." She called around the corner, nodding toward the rows of DVD's under the television. She watched him kneel down and open the cabinets, picking one case at a time to read the synopsis on the back. He wouldn't find much of a variety, but if he loved horror, he was in for a treat.

She grabbed the boxes from the bag and opened them, taking a peek to see what he had ordered. There was a box of dumplings and another with rice and Sakura's stomach growled as the smell wafted through the kitchen. She grabbed two bowls and divided the food evenly. "Is there anything besides horror movies?" He called from the living room and Sakura scoffed.

"I think she has a few comedies...and I'm sure she had a dirty movie in her bedroom, but I'm not going to search for that."

"That's a shame." He chuckled as she handed him his bowl. "I think I might be too old. I've never heard of any of these movies."

Sakura shook her head and kicked the doors closed. She set her bowl down before reaching up to the stereo above her head and pressed the 'play' button, keeping the volume low enough they could talk comfortably. Chills rolled down her spine as she felt Kakashi's gaze boring into her backside. She had to admit, it felt damn good knowing he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Maybe she was wrong about her choice in clothes for the night. "I'm not really feeling a movie." She lowered herself to the floor, her back against the couch and her legs stretched out in front of her, ankles crossed. It was a habit she had developed after so many years of eating with him. It gave him privacy to eat with his mask down, though she had seen and been very up close and personal with his face since then.

"Me either." Kakashi glanced down at the steaming bowl in his hands and gave a soft laugh. "I'm not even that hungry."

Sakura bit her lip, knowing exactly what he meant. She wondered if this would be the way they always were with each other now. Would their friendship even continue after this? It was a thought that she hadn't really dwelled on since they began these lessons but it frightened her to think about now. "Kakashi?" She asked quietly, stirring her dumplings.

"Hmm?"

Sakura turned and looked up at him, the words frozen in the back of the back of her throat. She didn't want to ask the question because she didn't want to know the answer. Swallowing her fear, she gave a small sigh. "When this is all over..." God, she didn't even want to think about it ending, but she had to know. "We'll still be friends, right?"

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes searching hers and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing as her. That she didn't want this to end, at least not now, and not before they could definitely talk about what was happening between them. But, she was afraid to bring up any kind of emotions, afraid it would scare him away. She had promised him this was nothing but experience points for her and free sex for him. It meant nothing. Or at least, it was supposed to. She couldn't deny that she had been missing him lately, needing to just be in his company and not necessarily trying to seduce him.

"Of course." The corner of his mask lifted in a smile. She hoped he believed that.

The hunger she had felt earlier had disappeared behind the burning ache that had been building since she had seen him look at her with such ferocity on her door step. She craved that look more than any food. But, she stayed on the floor, taking small, slow bites. Anything more and she would have felt nauseous. From behind her, she could hear the familiar pages of a magazine and she whirled around, blinking in surprise. She could have sworn she hid all of those!

"So, these are the infamous tips you've been reading about." He set his bowl on the end table and glanced at Sakura from over the top of the pages. One must have slipped between the cushions. "Ugh, I thought I had hid them all."

"I'm kind of curious as to what all the fuss is about." He flipped a page and tilted his head to the side, glancing across a black and white picture of a man and woman in bed and bright, red words displayed over their heads reading 'The Pleasure Guide'. Sakura groaned and turned back to her bowl. She had officially lost her appetite. She grabbed his and made her way into the kitchen, dumping what was left before rinsing the dishes in the sink. "Find anything good?" She called as she bent to push the left-over containers into the fridge.

"No." His voice startled her and she jumped away from the fridge, surprised to see him standing in the door of the kitchen. "I told you that you can't learn anything from magazines or books."

She wished she had something snarky to retort back to him but her body was calling the shots now, taking all of the control away from her brain. Biting her lip, she took a step forward, wanting him so badly she almost couldn't stand it. She had thought their rendezvous earlier in the day could sustain her through the evening but it was impossible to deny. Her fingers ached to touch him, and she couldn't resist raising her hand to his chest, spreading over the taut muscles that stretched beneath his skin. "Then, teach me." She whispered, lifting herself onto her tip-toes so that her lips were barely grazing against his.

Kakashi grabbed her around her backside and lifted her off the floor, wrapping her legs around his waist as she looped her arm around his neck. He turned her until her ass was sitting on top of the kitchen counter, his hands gripping her hips and keeping her pressed close to him. Sakura curled her fingers around his mask and pulled it over his lips, sighing in relief, as if she had been holding her breath for hours waiting to see his face. He kissed her and she felt the world wash away from them.

Their kiss started slow, lips barely moving over one another's as they enjoyed the taste and feel of it. Sakura felt dizzy and was glad she was sitting, knowing if she weren't she would be a puddle, melted at his feet by now. She slid a hand over his jaw and gripped the hair at the back of his head with the other, the craving to have more growing so intense she felt as if she would come unraveled at any moment. She parted his lips with hers and couldn't help the moan that sounded deep inside her chest as his tongue slid against her own.

Her head swam and she realized she had been holding her breath. She inhaled the scent of him and it only made her feel more light headed. He smelled divine and Sakura was surprised at the effect it had on her body. She was tired of the kitchen. She needed him in her room and in her bed. Breaking away from his kiss proved to be difficult. He held her in place and kissed her with such a hunger she had never felt from him before.

He pulled away only to kiss down her jaw and to her neck. "Kakashi." She whispered with a gasp as he nibbled at the flesh over her collar bone. "I have a bed, you know."

"Are you sure?" He murmured against her shoulder, his fingers dancing along the bare skin at her sides. She resisted the urge to laugh and squirm and nodded instead. "Yes, I'm quite sure I have a bed."

Kakashi paused and straightened to look down at her, his lips so close to hers. She knew they would never stop if she kissed him again but it was so hard to resist. "No. I mean, are you sure you're ready for that?"

"Oh." Was she? She didn't even know, but she knew she didn't want to be in the kitchen anymore or a theater or a library. She knew she wasn't ready to take their situation all the way but she was definitely ready to be close to him...all of him. Pressing her forehead against his, she gave a small nod and slipped off the counter top. Her knees felt like jello as she lead him out of the kitchen and down the hall. The music from earlier was still playing and she was thankful that she could hear it all the way in her bedroom.

She kept the light off as she stepped inside, feeling just a bit embarrassed by how girly her room was decorated. Purples and pinks were on almost every surface, all that was missing was glitter and unicorns. Definitely not the setting she wanted. Turning to face him, Sakura took a deep breath and raised her hands to the bow tied at the back of her neck. She pulled at the strings until they broke free and fell down the front of her shirt. Hooking her thumbs around the waistband of her pants, she wiggled her hips until the fabric fell free and the cold air hit her bare legs.

She felt a shiver but held it back, knowing she would find warmth in his arms. He closed the distance between them in less than a second, his hands weaving through her hair as he brought her mouth back of his. Sakura let out a small moan and managed to pull the halter top down her length before grabbing at the waist of his shirt. She lifted it over his head and took the brief pause from his lips to catch her breath. She hadn't expected to be so bared this fast and her brain was starting to kick back to life, alerting her to how naked she was.

No. She refused to be scared. She needed that sweet release only he could give her. Despite the overwhelming urge to cover herself, Sakura sat on her bed and crawled back against the pillows. She tried her best to mimic the pose from the ad she had seen earlier, hoping she appeared as sexy to him as the girl. Kakashi reached down and took Sakura's ankle in his hand, placing a knee on the bed as he lifted her foot to his lips and kissed up her shin to her knee.

The further he crawled up the bed, the higher his lips seared across the flesh of Sakura's thighs. She felt a tremor roll through her body and her toes curled as he grazed his lips briefly and so gently over the lace flowers of her panties. His teeth nipped at her hip bone, surprising her by how much it tickled. She hid her giggle behind her hand but Kakashi seemed to notice. He looked up at her with a smirk before treating her other hip bone with the same treatment.

Sakura couldn't help laugh and jerk away from him this time but he held her steady and continued his slow trek up her body. By the time his lips found her nipples, sucking them through the lace of her bra, she felt as if she could come at any moment. But, she was feeling selfish and didn't want it to end that soon. And besides, he was still wearing his pants. As he leaned over her, one hand holding himself up while the other caressed the side of her jaw, Sakura felt a surge of confidence and knew if she didn't act on it now, there would be no telling when it would return.

Putting a hand to his chest, she pushed him until he laid back on her bed, a brief look of surprise on his face. She threw one leg over his lap and sat still for a second, watching his reaction but mostly feeling it beneath her. She slid back just a bit and clamped her bottom lip between her teeth as she slipped her fingers beneath the waist of his pants. She pulled the button free and the zipper down, her heart pounding harder than she had ever felt before. Kakashi let his head fall back against the pillow with a deep groan that sent chills across her body.

"Wait." He whispered suddenly, pulling her against him as he sat up. She felt him pull at the material of his pants until they were discarded in the floor and nothing separated them but two thin pieces of fabric. Sakura sat up and traced the lines of his muscles with her fingertips, setting every dip and bulge to her memory. She definitely did not want to forget this view. As she made her way lower down his body, she could feel him grow harder beneath her.

It was an odd feeling but she was enjoying it. She shifted her hips just a bit and Kakashi groaned once more, pushing a hand through his hair. She didn't expect to feel something so strong from such a tiny movement. She rocked her hips against him again, much like she had on his couch so many days ago, but this was different. She could feel his length and size beneath her and she didn't want to stop, didn't want the pleasure she was feeling to ever go away.

Kakashi's hands gripped her hips hard, guiding her back and forth over him. Her breath came out in tiny puffs as she pressed hard against him, not sure if she was going faster or if Kakashi was. His hips matched hers and she felt her breath hitch in her chest, her toes curling and her fingers finding their way to her breasts. He rose off the bed but still kept her pressed hard against him. His breath was quick and hot against her throat and she held onto him as her entire body tensed. "Fuck, Sakura..." He whispered against her chest and she didn't know whether it was the way he spoke her name, hot breath against her throat, or the feel of his cock against her clit but she came. Her cries were buried against his shoulder and she barely felt him gripping her back with a bruising grip.

She rode the waves her orgasm with tiny gasps of air and it wasn't much longer until he was moaning against her chest as he came. Sakura felt as if she were in shock, her heart racing so hard she feared it would never slow down. She could feel sweat along her lower back but Kakashi held her tight against him for several minutes. She didn't complain.

Sakura pressed her cheek to the side of his head, his hair caressing and tickling her face. She didn't quite know what to say and suspected he couldn't find any words as well. Peeling herself away, she bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. Kakashi looked up at her, his eyes looking rather sleepy and a bit amused. "What's so funny?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know." She laughed now, letting her head fall back so she was gazing up at the ceiling. "But, I want to do that again."

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AN- God, I don't know how many times I have wrote, re-wrote, and wrote this chapter again....but I definitely like this version the best! And I hope you do as well! :D


	9. Fear of Falling

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_So come on  
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Sakura swung her legs back and forth as she and Hinata sat on the railing of a small bridge next to the market, eating their fluff of cotton candy while waiting for their friends. The village was bustling on the warm, sunny Saturday. There were whole families shopping, kids running around, bothering shop keepers, and teenagers every where. Spring fever was in full swing and Sakura enjoyed the feel of the warm sun that kissed her cheeks and bare arms. She turned her face upward and was thankful for her pair of sunglasses as Hinata picked at the blue cotton candy in her hands. "I knew I should have gotten pink." The girl mumbled to herself.

Sakura scoffed and pulled her a piece of her pastel purple fluff and popped it onto her tongue. It dissolved quickly as she turned and glanced over Hinata's head to a billboard painted across the side of a clothing shop. The picture had a woman, who was far too well endowed to be real, bathing lazily in the hot spring pool of a hotel. A man stood behind her, a smirk on his lips and his hands poised on the towel around his waist. It was as if the photographer caught the exact moment before the two joined in the hot spring and had steamy, wild sex. The words above her head caught Sakura's attention and she lifted her sunglasses and pushed them back over the top of her head. 'Life is short. Get naked.'

She was surprised something so risqué had been allowed to be painted up. She glanced at the clothing store it was advertised on and raised an eyebrow. The store front windows displayed lingerie and several teeny bathing suits that looked to be mostly strings with a bit of fabric between them. Sakura rolled her eyes but glanced back at the slogan. Get naked. It was something she had yet to do with Kakashi. Sure she had seen him in his boxers, and had been on top of him with only a few thin, pieced of fabric between them...but not naked.

"Ino said she would be here." Hinata craned her neck to look down the crowded streets before jumping down to her feet. "Let's try to find her." Sakura nodded, glancing back at the painted ad one more time and found herself trying to picture what Kakashi would look like naked. She had played that game in her youth, trying to guess what was behind his mask and she had been dead wrong. It was so much better than anything she could have ever conjured up in her head. Would it be the same for the rest of him? She had only seen naked men in medical diagrams or drawings in the books she and Kakashi had poured over in the library, along with one naughty picture Ino had said was the 'perfect size'. Sakura took a bite of her cotton candy and wondered with wide eyes if Kakashi's would be the perfect size for her.

Her cheeks burned, and not from the sun as she pulled her sunglasses back down onto her nose and let Hinata lead her around the square. She had trouble thinking about much else aside from a naked Kakashi and her two nights alone with him last week. They hadn't pushed the boundaries more than they had the first night. She had almost jumped in the shower with him, but had become too nervous at the last second and ended up sitting alone on the couch instead, mentally kicking herself for her cowardice. Though they hadn't taken things to the same level they had when she had been on top of him, there were hours of kissing to occupy her thoughts. Kissing on the couch, in the kitchen, in her bed....

Sakura gave a grunt as she slammed into another person and the half eaten cotton candy she had been enjoying fell to the dusty ground with a puff. Stumbling back on her heels, she looked up toward the person blocking her path and felt her stomach float like a balloon inside her. A familiar flash of silver hair made her pulse quicken and she annoyingly noticed Hinata's wide eyed stare as Kakashi turned around. He smiled in surprise, the mask covering his face shifting upward on his cheeks. Sakura's face instantly turned pink and thoughts of him beneath her raced through her mind. She felt a familiar twinge between her legs and she clamped her lip between her teeth to keep the tiny moan from escaping her mouth.

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei." Hinata squeaked, her eyes darting back and forth between the two as if she expected them to make out right then and there. With a blush, she turned to Sakura. "I found Ino." She pointed a few yards away and Sakura glanced toward the small group gathered near the ice cream shoppe. Ino and TenTen were surrounded by a few boys and she was doing what she did best. She swatted her hand at the one in front of her and laughed like whatever he was saying was the funniest thing she had ever heard. Boys often fell into the trap and in minutes, Ino had them eating out of the palm of her hand.

"Doing some shopping today, Sakura?" Kakashi asked, turning her attention back to him. He smiled down at her with a hint of mischief behind his eyes and Sakura felt herself gulp in fear. This was a place she just refused to let him seduce her. The thought definitely thrilled her but the fear was just too much in such a crowded place. Behind the guard shack, a secluded library...those were places she could allow him to touch her. Tucking a strand of fallen hair behind her ear, she glanced down to her dirt covered treat.

"Just something to satisfy my sweet tooth. You owe me." From beside her, she heard Hinata make a sound in the back of her throat and excuse herself to make her way to the group that surrounded the blonde kunoichi. Good. Sakura could flirt easier if she were alone with him.

As she fled, Kakashi turned back to Sakura with an eyebrow raised. "What do I owe you?"

"Something sweet. Mine's ruined because of you." She pouted, kicking at the candy with the toe of her shoe. He stood up straighter and rubbed his chin, glancing around the market place.

"I don't see any candy stores. But I see a shoe store with very little people in it. I'm sure I could make it up to you in there." He pointed across the street where a building had its doors wide open. A little old lady sat in a rocking chair out front and the store had tables of assorted shoes, socks, and sandals. No. She had mentally put her foot down and refused to give into him here. Then again, there was no one even in the store...who would even see? Biting her lip, Sakura felt her stomach flip flop and she gave a small shrug, all of her resistance failing miserably. "I actually could use a new pair of shoes." With a small glance behind her, she made sure her group of friends were still preoccupied with the boys they had discovered and that Kakashi was following her inside. She made her way to the back of the shop and found a table with a stack of sandals that were marked half off.

"Did you tell your friends about us?" Kakashi asked as he followed her through the store. He had an eyebrow raised and a smile shifted the edge of his mask up. Sakura glanced back to where her friends stood huddled together and laughing. Ino was far too busy flirting to notice Sakura was even there to begin with but she spied a pair of lavender eyes staring straight at her.

Sakura pursed her lips and tried to give her friend a look that told her to go away. Hinata didn't get the hint and continued to watch them. Rolling her eyes, Sakura gave a small shrug and lead Kakashi further into the store, careful not to let him get too close to her. She kept a display of socks between them as she busied herself with the different pairs, as if they were the most interesting socks in the world. "Of course not. Did you?"

He gave a small laugh and shook his head. "It's kind of hard to tell my friends that I'm giving sex lessons to a former student." He leaned toward her and whispered the words in her ear, his breath sending a flurry of chills cascading down her body. Blood rushed to her head and her ears rang just a bit as she risked a glance up at him. Ugh, he looked like he wanted to devour her right there on the table of discounted shoes. He gave her a look that told her he would do exactly that if they were alone and she gulped down her fear and arousal. Sakura needed to distance herself from him before she ripped his clothes off right in front of the entire marketplace. Circling the table, she picked up a cute pair of black sandals and inspected the price, as if his words didn't just make her panties instantly wet. "You don't have to tell them that..."

"What do I tell them then?"

Her stomach clenched. Was this the moment they defined their relationship? She sucked her bottom lip in thought before tossing the shoes back onto the pile. "You can tell them...you have a secret lover."

Kakashi made his way around the table slowly, his eyes dark and never leaving hers. He could say in one look what he wanted to do to her and it never failed to make Sakura react accordingly. With every step she took away from him, she could feel how damp her panties were becoming. It was like she never got enough of him. Her hunger was never satisfied when she knew what he could give her. "We're lovers?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's the only way I can define it." She said as they ended up on opposite sides of the discount table. He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied her. "And how many other lovers do you have?"

"Just the one." She was thankful for the table she could lean on. She didn't trust her legs to hold her up...not when he was looking at her with such an intense ferocity.

"Good. I'm rather selfish with my secret lovers."

Sakura scoffed with a playful roll of her eyes. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side, studying his cocky smirk and wishing one day she could be as confident as he was. "Well what about you? Do you have more than one lover?"

Laughter broke out from behind her, exactly where she had abandoned her friends and she felt the fear of being caught, the thrill of it only fueling her excitement. Kakashi circled the table while she was distracted and his nearness startled her. He brushed a strand of fallen hair away from her face, the back of his finger caressing her cheek. "Only you." He murmured, his eyes searching hers and Sakura felt her breath hitch in her throat and her heart skipped several beats. His words seared her right down to her soul and she had to put a hand out on the table to keep herself upright. She had to find a place to move them to before anyone saw them and got the wrong idea because it was getting hard to resist the urge to kiss him. If he kept looking at her like that, she wouldn't care who saw.

"Do you think they miss you yet?" He asked in a whisper, his lips so close to her ear she could feel them brushing against her. She licked her suddenly dry lips, her eyes darting to the corner of the building that would hide them. It was only a few feet from the front of the store and it would be so easy for anyone to step around the wall and see them but, it was better than nothing. She quickly put her hand in his and pulled him away from any peeping eyes. Sakura's lips parted and she sighed as he circled around her, cornering her against a wall of leather bags as he brushed the hair away from her shoulders like he had in the library that day. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, his left hand circling around her backside to her hip. "Or do you think I have time to make you wet?"

"Who says I'm not already?" She whispered against his ear. He groaned, quieting himself with his mouth against her shoulder. Sakura beamed proudly as he tightly gripped the fabric of her shirt in his fingers, pulling her against him. Her heart raced and she hoped that the little old lady sitting at the front of the shop wouldn't come check on them. Sakura didn't want to give her a shock but she definitely didn't want him to stop touching her. "Meet me tomorrow." She whispered against his jaw. Kakashi moved his mouth to catch hers in a quick kiss and she gasped against his mask. The thrill of being so bold, the fear of someone seeing them, it all swirled with the lust that poured through her.

"What time?" He asked, glancing over her face with a hazy stare. Sakura could see his arousal clouding his eyes and she almost wanted to sneak them both out to find a place they could continue this. But, she had a plan and needed to resist him for just a bit longer. "Three, at the hot spring. The private rooms."

Kakashi blinked at her in surprise. He opened his mouth to respond but the sound of Sakura's name being called outside made them both freeze. Sakura's eyes went wide and she peeked out from behind the wall they had secluded themselves behind. She could see Hinata trying desperately to take Ino's attention off the shoe store, pointing in the opposite direction. Ino was like a blood hound though. She wasn't easily fooled. Sakura turned back to the man behind her and couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips. He was almost pouting. "Just, meet me there." She said before slipping out from behind the wall.

"There you are!" Ino called, scowling at Sakura like a mother who caught her child trying to sneak away as Sakura made her way back out into the crowded streets. The boys had disappeared thankfully and she cast a quick glance to Hinata. The poor girl looked like keeping Sakura's rendezvous a secret was agonizing. She understood how ruthless Ino could be and she silently thanked her friend for doing a good job. With a shrug, Sakura glanced back at the shoe store, secretly checking to see if she could see Kakashi. The store looked just as deserted as it had been.

"Sorry, I saw a sale and remembered how desperately I need shoes." She looped her arm around Ino's and pulled her toward the movie theater. They had made plans to see whatever was playing and though it would be nothing like the last time she was there, Sakura was looking forward to being in a quiet, dark room. It would give her plenty of time to form a plan for tomorrow so she could finally get naked with Kakashi.

* * *

  
Sundays meant slow days at the local hot spring and since the weather was growing warmer, people didn't want to sit in warm water for very long. Which was perfect for what Sakura had planned. The Konoha hot spring had pools separated by gender but there were two private rooms that allowed couples to bathe together. She had paid for the entire afternoon and took the key from the older woman behind the counter who seemed utterly bored and barely give Sakura two glances.

Still, the kunoochi had taken extra precautions and wore her big, dark sunglasses and hid her hair behind the hood of her jacket. Key in hand, Sakura made her way outside and kept close to the wall to avoid crossing paths with anyone she might know. Luckily, spring was in full bloom and the ferns and flowers that grew around the walkways were tall enough that she could easily duck behind if she needed. The two private rooms were located around the back of the main building, away from the outdoor pools and Sakura made her way quietly down the stone path. She could hear a couple of men discussing business behind the fence that blocked the male pool. She rounded the corner to the first private room and slid her key into the lock. Behind her, the bushes shifted and she whirled around, ready to throw out one of the five excuses as to why she was here that she had practiced on the way over.

But, her voice stuck in her throat at the sight of Kakashi-sensei ducking out from behind one of the enormous ferns. "It's about time," he said with a smirk, "I've been waiting for an hour."

Sakura blinked behind her sunglasses before pushing them up her forehead. She opened her mouth to scold him for both scaring her and for having the nerve of chastising her for being late but the sound of the two business men laughing loudly around the corner of the building made her snap her mouth shut. With a nod, she opened the door and waited for him to hurry inside before she followed. "You really have a lot of nerve accusing me of being late!"

"You said 3 o'clock." He pointed out, a grin stretching beneath his mask.

"Only because I knew you'd be over an hour late!" Sakura tossed her gym bag and sunglasses down onto one of the lounge chairs before kicking her flip flops off. Kakashi moved closer to her, making the room seem to shrink around them. His hand moved to her hip and for a second, Sakura forgot the reason why she had invited him. It felt far too good to have his hands on her to be healthy. She knew she was bordering some sort of strange addiction to him, but couldn't really bring herself to care.

"I like to keep you on your toes." He murmured as he pulled her tight against him. All logic and any plans she might have had flew out of her head and her body reacted immediately to him. God, he hadn't even kissed her yet. She was practically panting at just having his hands on her hips. Wait. This wasn't what she had planned.

Before he could kiss her, she put a hand to his lips and shook her head. She stepped out of his grasp as his face fell on defeat. "No. This isn't what I wanted to do."

"You don't want to kiss me?" Kakashi pouted.

Of course she wanted to kiss him. She would actually kiss him until she ran out of oxygen without a care, but she couldn't tell him that. Biting her lip, she pulled the zipper of her jacket down, and watched Kakashi's gaze follow it all the way down. The look that came over his eyes made Sakura feel a thousand things at once, mostly sexual, and she realized keeping their hands to themselves would be a lot harder than she had imagined. She let the jacket fall to the floor and blushed at the way his eyes looked her over. Picking her black bikini had been a good idea after all. It was just a small band that covered her breasts with a ruffle that fell from the top. She had been so self conscious about the lack of straps, wondering if she could even fill the top out, but it did a wonderful job of making her appear more ample than she was.

"Well, it's not kissing, but I can deal with this." He finally spoke, making Sakura laugh. She turned her back to him and wiggled out of her shorts, kicking them to the side. He groaned and quickly began undressing as well, tossing his shoes as Sakura made her way to the edge of the pool. She dipped a toe into the warm water and watched him pull his shirt over his head. "Wait." She held out hand to stop him and had to suppress a giggle at the sight of his hair, sticking out in all directions. "I need to get used to this and I don't think I can when you're naked too."

"Get used to what?" He asked as he let his shirt fall to the lounge chair. She had seen him shirtless before but the sight still made her mouth water. If he got naked first, she knew she would be far too distracted to ever attempt taking her own clothes off. With a deep breath, she lowered herself into the heated water. She settled against the edge of the pool and reached for the hook behind her back with one hand as she held the fabric against her with the other. The bikini top bounced free and she closed her eyes, moving it away from her chest and onto the edge of the pool. No one had ever seen her naked chest before, aside from the time she, Ino and Hinata had gotten drunk and decided to flash each other, which only resulted in Sakura feeling very self conscious. But this was different.

She felt liberated and bold and the way he was watching her made her feel as if he saw nothing else and wanted nothing but her. She dipped her hands into the water and pulled at the strings on either side of her hips until the fabric of the bottoms fell away from her. This was a bit more intense and she was glad the water covered her waist. Showing all of herself was something she had been terrified of. This was the only way she could think that might make her feel a bit easy about it all. And it worked. She had been naked in a hot spring before on one of the missions they had been on. Of course, she had been the only girl then. It had been easy.

Sakura bit her lip and looked up at Kakashi, wondering what would have happened had she realized how amazing he was a long time ago. She wouldn't have wasted so many years drooling over Sasuke, that was for sure. He had never even touched her in non-platonic way, and she doubted he could make her feel even remotely close to what she was feeling now. Her heart was racing so fast she felt dizzy at the thought of Kakashi. His hands, his mouth...he could do things to her she didn't even think were possible. "Okay. I'm ready." She whispered but he remained standing rooted to the spot. "Kakashi?"

His hands moved to the button of his pants and he quickly stepped out of them, standing before her in only a pair of boxers. Her face flushed hot as he slid his thumbs beneath the elastic waist and inched them down his hips. Sakura shut her eyes, cursing herself for not being brave enough to look. Her chest rose and fell with deep breaths and she knew her face was practically glowing pink. The water shifted around her and she heard Kakashi step into the pool. He was quiet and she peeked out through one eye. He sat along the edge across from her, the water covering him but she could see he was as naked as she was.

The urge to hyperventilate was rising but she fought against it. "What now?" He asked. The desire he felt was written clearly across his face and Sakura felt something stir inside her. She pressed her thighs together and sucked her bottom lip with a shrug. Honestly, she had figured she would have been far too embarrassed to want to do anything aside from sit and have a mini-heart attack. But now that she was sitting directly across from his naked body, she was surprised by what she felt. During the past month, she had knew she wasn't ready to have sex. It was hard for her to even imagine doing what she had done, but now...now she didn't know what she felt.

It was a new feeling, almost as if the usual things they had been doing wouldn't be enough to satisfy her today. She wanted it all.

Her mouth went dry and she forced herself to move along the edge of the pool, inching closer to him. When she used to imagine how she would lose her virginity, she could only ever conjure images of a darkened bedroom, in one position with one specific person she hardly thought about anymore. She knew she wanted it to be special, someone she was in love with....she never thought about the way she should feel, or how he should make her feel. But now, she could only see Kakashi in her fantasies. Her heart pounded and the ache between her legs nearly made her whimper. A month ago, she would only be thinking about how tacky it was to have sex in a hot spring. A month ago, she didn't know she would need it this bad.

She was sitting next to him now, their knees touching beneath the water's surface. His hand covered hers between them and their fingers laced together. "I want to..." the words felt like stones in her throat. "H-have sex."

"Right now?" He asked, and Sakura felt her body respond to the sultry tone of his voice. She tucked a strand behind her ear and nodded. Kakashi sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "Please don't take this the wrong way but, I don't think you're ready."

"Why?" She risked a glance at him and despite his refusal, she still felt every ounce of desire and need that she had before. She followed the scar down his cheek and to the mark on his chin, her lips begging to kiss him.

"Because we've just now seen each other naked. And technically, only half way." He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. "Let's just enjoy this moment before we jump to something that intense." He had a point, Sakura realized with a pout. She was being greedy and needed to slow down. There would be plenty of time to work their way up to sex. But, God did she want it. She had never been so aroused and it clouded her mind with nothing but getting what she needed.

Glancing down into the water, her cheeks went hot at the sight of him and her fingers slipped from between his. His eyes never left hers as she inched her way over his thigh until his cock was against her palm. She circled her fingers around him and felt her eyes widen at the thickness. She had only felt a finger inside her. This would definitely be a bit much for her to take in.

Kakashi let his head fall back against the wooden edge of the pool as he closed his hand around hers and moved slowly up his length and back down. The small sound he gave made Sakura's nipples harden and she repeated the movement as his hand fell away from hers. He was so hard beneath her touch. She stroked down and back up, sliding her thumb over the head of his cock. He gasped and pushed his hands through his hair, his brow furrowed in concentration. He looked so good she couldn't resist touching herself. Her fingers pulled at her taut nipples and she bit her lip. "You're going to make me come, if you don't stop." He groaned and she paused, her fingers still gripping him tightly.

"Don't you want to?"

"More than anything," he said, sitting up and looking at her. Kakashi brushed the hair away from her face. "But not before you."

In a flash he lifted her out of the water and Sakura gripped his shoulders with a gasp. She could feel his cock beneath her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He laid her back on the cushion of the lounging chair, and held himself up over her. Sakura risked a glance between them and felt the breath leave her body at his size. She had no time to react before his mouth found her breasts and he slid his tongue over her nipple. Her body shuddered and she let her head fall back against the pillow. He nipped and sucked at the sensitive nub, nearly making her come right then. She arched her back off the chair as his fingers danced down her side and over her hip. "I can smell how wet you are." He murmured against the flesh between her breasts.

Sakura felt her cheeks grow hot and she pressed her legs together. "Is that bad?" She asked, wishing she could sink into the chair. He looked up at her with a wink.

"No. I love it." His head dipped back down to kiss and bite along her ribs and she watched the top of his head as he moved lower and lower. Sakura sat up on her elbows as he kissed her hip bone and across the lowest point of her stomach. "Sakura." He whispered and she felt a wave of desire roll through her. When she didn't answer, he looked up at her. "Open your legs."

She did as she was commanded and slowly parted her knees. Kakashi took her leg, put it over his shoulder and Sakura felt the entire world lift away from her as his tongue slid along the crease between her thighs. She had never felt anything like it in her life. Her body nearly came up off the chair as he gripped her thighs and sucked gently on her clit. Every inch of her body buzzed like electricity was flowing through her. Her breath came out quick and hot, her eyes shut tight as his tongue swirled back and forth.

She rose up on her elbows and watched him with parted lips and half lidded eyes. It was almost just as arousing to see as it was to feel and he seemed to enjoy being watched. He glanced up at her, his tongue dipping back and forth over the bud between her folds and Sakura felt her eyes roll back in her head. The feel of his mouth on hers was so intense she could already feel her orgasms building. Her hips moved in time with his tongue and she let her head fall back. She couldn't even try to speak of she had wanted to. There were no words she could form that would match the intensity of how she felt. Kakashi reached up and took her breast in his hands, pinching her nipple and making her gasp.

Her thighs shook as her body tensed in his grip. She cried out and he continued to suck and lick at her clit as she came. It washed over her in wave after wave so strong that she could feel tears in the corner of her eyes. She collapsed back onto the chair as he kissed her thighs all the way back up until he was laid out next to her. He nuzzled her neck and licked at the sweat along her collar bone as she caught her breath. "Is it supposed to feel that good?" She asked in a whisper and he laughed against her throat.

"Sometimes."

"I feel bad that you haven't got much attention at all since we started this." Sakura looked up at him and brushed his damp hair away from his eyes. A smirk stretched across his lips as he glanced down her naked body.

"Don't worry about me. This is all about you, remember?" His finger twirled a strand of her hair and he let the curl lay across her shoulder. "Besides, I've been enjoying myself more than you realize."

"What does that mean?"

Kakashi laughed and put his forehead against hers and she could have sworn she saw a blush across his cheeks. "You're really going to make me say it?" At her silence, he ducked his head with a shy smile and this time Sakura was sure that the tops of his cheeks had turned a shade of pink. "Fine. I usually take care of myself afterward."

"Every time?" She asked, turning in the chair so that they were both on their sides, facing each other. The fact that they were still naked occurred to her briefly but she felt unusually comfortable with it. Then again, the man had his face between her thighs only moments ago. It would be odd to feel self conscious now.

Kakashi paused as he thought about it. "I think so."

"Even when we were just kissing on your couch?"

"Oh yeah. I told you it had been a while for me. And I didn't expect to get so turned on from kissing you." Sakura felt elated to hear that she had turned him on when she had been so naive back then. She had wanted to touch herself so many times but couldn't bring herself to out of shame....except for that night on the phone. Blinking, she sat up and looked down at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What about that night on the phone?"

Kakashi laughed sheepishly. "I guess I'm just quieter than you are."

"You jerk! I was so embarrassed!" Sakura grabbed the pillow and smacked him across the face with it as he laughed. He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her back to the cushion, holding her hands above her head. She squirmed beneath him but it was no use, he had her pinned. "Don't worry. It was incredibly hot to hear." He glanced down at her body beneath him. "And if you don't stop moving, you're going to see exactly what you do to me."

Sakura felt her body blush and she bit her bottom lip, moving her legs so they were wrapped around his waist. She could feel him grow hard against her ass and she shifted, pushing her hips against him. "Maybe I want to see." His eyes met hers and she licked her lips. She reached between them, her fingers finding his cock. His breath shuddered as she gripped him in the same way she had in the pool, pulling until he was against the warmth between her legs. He was careful not to enter her as he slid back and forth over her folds.

Sakura felt her body respond and she pinched her taut nipple with trembling fingers. She sat up and caught his lips with hers, the taste of herself still lingering on his tongue. Kakashi gripped her hips tightly against him as he thrust his cock against her, a groan deep in his throat. His breath was hot against her lips and she held him tightly as he moved faster now. She whispered his name against his ear, her heart begging to say more. She bit her lip to keep quiet and let him pull her tight up to him. His hips bucked hard over hers and she gasped at the feel of his seed spilling hot over her stomach as he came. She could feel the tremble in the muscles that stretched across his shoulders beneath her fingers and watched as his breath shuddered. Sakura pushed his hair from his eyes and was almost afraid of what she was feeling in that moment.

Kakashi collapsed beside her, breathless with his hand covering his face, pulling her quickly from her thoughts. His chest rose and fell quickly and Sakura glanced from him down to her stomach. She had never seen a man ejaculate, had never even imagined it. From her position as a medic, she was fascinated and couldn't help feeling a bit impressed that she had done that to a man. She snatched a towel from the floor beside them and cleaned herself off. Beside her, Kakashi peeked out from behind his hand with a lop sided smile. He stared at her for a moment as if he wanted to say something but finally decided against it and instead slipped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close to him.

Sakura let her head rest against his chest as she traced the lines of his muscles with her fingertips, unable to forget how she had felt moments before he climaxed. She had almost said some dangerous things to him. She wasn't sure he would have even heard her as he was concentrating, but the fact that she had felt it...her stomach twisted in fear.

There was no way that she could be falling for him.

* * *

 


	10. Lay Me Down Tonight

* * *

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* * *

 

May 1st. It was Choji's birthday and the first truly hot day of the year. Even after the sun had slipped below the village walls, sweat collected across the small of Sakura's back as she stood on the deck behind Shikamaru's house. She was thankful she had decided on a thin shirt to wear, though she had been a bit apprehensive about how much skin she was showing. Ino had assured her it wasn't too risque but Sakura should have known better than to believe her.  
  
Modesty wasn't in the girl's dictionary and she was a firm believer in 'if you've got it, flaunt it' which was easy to believe in when you had ample curves to flaunt. Sakura tried not to look down at her own chest as she moved behind her group of friends that had gathered on the deck. She was already feeling quite self conscious from her exposed midsection and her lack of a bra, and she was beginning to doubt her friend's fashion advice.    
  
Over the music and laughter of the party, Sakura could easily hear Ino's voice as clear as day. She had a red cup in her hand and was telling the group about Choji's attempts to stuff fifty marshmallows in his mouth. The laughter echoed around the yard and Sakura smiled to herself, remembering when Ino had first told her she had lost the bet. She leaned back against the railing beside the stairs, glancing inside the sliding glass doors to the crowd that had gathered for the party. It was more than she was expecting to attend but Ino made sure to invite every last person that might possibly know Choji.  
  
There was a table of gifts set up in the corner of the main living room that had already become so full, guests were having to slide the wrapped boxes and bags underneath. Sakura bit the inside of her lip as she glanced around at the multitude of faces inside the house. Most were younger than her and were probably only there to say they were able to hang out with the famous Naruto and his friends. Several had paired off to make a dance floor in front of the alcohol bar and Sakura knew the one person she was looking for wouldn't be there.  
  
Kakashi wasn't much of a dancer, or a partier, she knew that much. He would pop in and see old friends but he never stayed to drink or dance at the numerous other special occasions that popped up around the village. Even before she had ever considered Kakashi as more than a friend, she had begged him to stick around and enjoy himself, knowing he would always have some excuse about having to feed a friend's guinea pig and duck out early. It had never bothered her then, but now, she was praying for any interaction with him.  
  
It had been a week and a half since she had kissed him goodbye after the hours they had spent in the hot springs. He had smelled like the salt water as he pulled her close to him and it was a scent that Sakura hadn't been able to forget yet. She was craving him bad and the withdrawals were almost unbearable.  
  
From the table surrounded by her friends, laughter rang out and Sakura realized she had completely missed what had been so funny, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay attention to them. She bit her lip and absentmindedly played with one of the gold balloons she had been assigned to hang around the deck earlier. Her daydreaming was becoming quite a problem for her lately.  
  
At work, she had been so busy replaying their meeting in the hot springs in her mind that she had smacked into a door and spilled several charts across the floor. It had become so unbearable that she would have to force herself to work, and rewarded herself with her fantasies after she had returned home. But, it was hard not to close her eyes and imagine Kakashi between her legs, staring up at her while she watched him.  
  
Even with several days between now and that moment, her face still burned as hot as it had and no matter how many times she had tried herself, she couldn't recreate the feeling he had given her. And the way he had been on top of her, his body glistening with sweat as he--  
  
**POP!**  
  
Sakura gasped with a start as the balloon she had been holding burst loudly from her tightening grip. She stared with wide eyes at the faces of her friend's who had all turned in surprise at the sudden outburst. As she forced an embarrassed smile, she dusted the balloon bits from her hands and shrugged. "Oops..." Was all she could offer them as her face grew hot under their scrutiny.  
  
They turned back to whatever they had been talking about before and Sakura knew she had to stop getting so carried away with her thoughts. Her friends probably all thought she was crazy by now and she wondered if she actually was. She had to be a small level of crazy to proposition her former sensei for sexual education but, didn't it make him the same for agreeing to it? Sakura smiled to herself before taking a long sip from her cup of liquor. She turned her gaze back inside the house, her eyes roving from face to face, hoping for a familiar one hidden behind a mask.  
  
A couple of hours passed and Sakura found herself sitting in the grass beside a small koi pond tucked into the corner of Shikamaru's backyard. The tiki torches lit around the backyard to keep the mosquitoes away glittered off the water and the sound of the small waterfall soothed Sakura's sorrow. It was getting late into the night and with every second that passed with no Kakashi, she realized he wouldn't be coming. She didn't feel much like partying but knew if she were to leave now, Ino would be pissed. She would tell Sakura to suck it up and have fun.  
  
Every so often, Sakura would catch a scowl across Ino's face when she would glance toward the deck. But, the thought of being surrounded by her friends who had all paired up in the last half hour wasn't what she considered fun. Choji's attention was almost fully focused on Karui who sat across his lap and fed him little pieces of birthday cake while Shikamaru and Temari were so wrapped up in a heated conversation, she doubted they even noticed the party around them. Even inside the house, she could see couples paired off, pressed against one another intimately as they moved to the beat of the song. She couldn't help the tinge of jealousy that bubbled inside her. It wasn't like she had never danced with anyone before...  
  
But, the person she did want to dance with, more than likely wouldn't prefer to do it in front of so many people. Pursing her lips, Sakura turned her face up to the sky with a heavy sigh. The thought of spending the next few hours peering at all the couples paired up like she were some desperate, jealous loser made panic bubble inside her. She felt exactly how she did the night in the gym, when she propositioned Kakashi for the first time. Everyone was having a great time, drinking, playing games and there she sat, alone at the edge of the pond, staring at the koi like a loser.  
  
Sakura reached for the red plastic cup sitting beside her hip and took a sip of the mixed drink Ino had made her. It was supposed to be something fruity and delicious, but all Sakura could taste was the bitter burn of the alcohol and an occasional chunk of strawberry or pineapple. But, after the third cup, she was beginning to like it.  
  
Her head swam nicely and she was proud of herself for keeping a good pace with the alcohol. She was afraid with Kakashi not showing up, she would drown her sorrows in the open bar but it hadn't been much of a problem. Several times Ino had shot her a look that said to suck it up and have fun, but she was not in the mood to dance or play games right now. And if she had to sit as the fifth wheel between Hinata, Naruto, Shikamaru and Temari, she would scream.  
  
They had been laughing loudly as a group on the deck for the past half hour and Sakura didn't feel like being in the company of two couples at the moment. Besides, the sound of the waterfall was relaxing and reminded her of her experience in the hot springs with Kakashi. She bit her lip and watched the stars twinkle out from behind a few clouds, the memories flaring back to life in her mind.  
  
Ugh. Why couldn't he just show up? He had to be all reclusive and cool, too good for these kind of events. He had to know she would be here tonight. Did he not want to see her? From the way he had acted the last time she had seen him, he seemed to have enjoyed himself. Surely, he would suspect that she would want to sneak away and do the things they had been enjoying with one another.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" A deep voice above her made her nearly fall into the pool and she pressed a hand to her chest. She looked up at a shinobi that she didn't recognize and her words stuck in her throat like sand.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said as he lowered himself beside her, sitting with his legs crossed beneath him. Sakura cleared her throat and shook her head, wishing she could actually utter something intelligible. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spied the sand village symbol tattooed on his forearm. Glancing toward Temari, Sakura forced a smile. He must have come with her. Ino had mentioned something about uninvited guests and how rude it was to come to a party with people no one knew. "It's fine. I was just lost in my own little world, I guess."  
  
"I'm Jin." He said with a warm smile, extending a hand toward her. Sakura hesitated and glanced down at his fingers, cursing herself for being so dumb. He was just being friendly, something she should be in return. She slid her hand into his and smiled, wishing she didn't have to blush every time a decent looking member of the opposite sex acknowledged her.  
  
"Sakura."  
  
"Ah, I think I heard your name mentioned earlier." He pointed a thumb behind him toward the deck where her friends sat around a table littered with cups and beer bottles. She pursed her lips at them and scowled. "All good things! I promise." He chuckled with a shake of his head.  
  
"It better have been. I know a lot of things that they wouldn't care to have shared out loud. Especially that blonde," Sakura pointed to where Ino stood just inside the sliding glass doors, barking orders at some younger girl who looked terrified. "She's crazy."  
  
Jin laughed and nodded toward the cup in her hand. "What're you drinking tonight?"  
  
"Uh, I think it's liquid fire. But, I'm getting used to it." She turned her cup up and finished the last of her mixed drink. It wasn't quite as bitter as it had been, but she was definitely feeling the buzz now. She put a hand down onto the grass to steady herself as she tipped her head back, nearly toppling over. Maybe she had drank more than she had thought. From beside her, Jin's hand grabbed her elbow and helped steady her. Even in her tipsy state, her muscles tensed at his touch and she had to stop herself from wrenching her arm away. She blinked and reassured herself that he was just helping. This was not flirting.  
  
He chuckled and glanced into the empty cup, nodding back toward the deck. "Do you need a refill? I've been known to make a mean cocktail." The look in his eyes was playful and for a brief moment, Sakura felt herself relax. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the company of a stranger, even if she did feel a bit of guilt. She and Kakashi had never declared what they were, so why should she be feeling this?  
  
A tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered, 'You know why' and she quickly shook it away, forcing a smile across her lips. "Yeah, I'd love one." With a smile stretched across his face, Jin stood to his feet and reached a hand down for Sakura. She took it and suppressed a giggle as she stumbled a few steps, leaning into his hand to keep herself steady. Jin handed her sandals to her and lead the way back inside the house.  
  
Several pairs of eyes were on them as they strolled across the lawn and up the steps to the deck. Sakura ignored the small eyebrow wiggle Ino gave her and glanced at the table where Temari sat across Shikamaru's lap. She gave a smile and tipped her cup to Sakura, who could only blush and wish her friends wouldn't be so concerned with her love life. She wasn't interested in Jin. Why would she be when she had Kakashi? Even though, they certainly didn't know anything about her trysts with the Copy Ninja and she didn't technically 'have' him .  
  
Sakura frowned at the thought and realized with a small start that her hand was still in Jin's as he lead her into the house and around the crowd that had gathered inside. The music was loud in her ears and she had trouble thinking of a polite way to get her hand back. She let him pull her into the kitchen where a few people were gathered. A young girl and boy who barely looked sixteen were locked at the lips in the corner of the room and Sakura gaped with a slacked jaw at their blatant display.  
  
Jin chuckled as he took Sakura's empty cup, nodding back to the teenagers who surely needed to come up for a breath by now. "I hope they don't suffocate." He said as he unscrewed the lid from one of the numerous bottles of liquor. Sakura shook her head and stood on her tip toes to make sure he wasn't making her drink extra strong. From the looks of it, she expected it to be worse than the one Ino had made for her. He passed her the drink and she could smell the alcohol fumes before she even brought it to her lips. She had been right.  
  
His cocktail was definitely 'mean' and nearly choked her as she sipped it. The liquid burned the back of her throat despite getting used to the mix she had been drinking earlier. Jin refilled his own cup and Sakura wondered if his was just as strong.  
  
Before she could ask, the music changed and his face lit up at the fast and heavy beat that vibrated the floor beneath them. "I like this song!" He said loudly, leaning against her ear so she could hear him. Sakura nodded, never having heard the song before. "Me too!" She lied. It wasn't the worst she had ever heard, but definitely not something she would seek out to hear again.  
  
The party goers in the living room came together in a jumbled mess of dancing and Sakura had trouble connecting the waving arms to the proper bodies. Before she could roll her eyes at them, her hand was snatched again and she was pulled toward the dancers. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head at Jin. "I can't dance!" She shouted over the bass and he laughed with a shrug. "Neither can I!"  
  
The drink he had made her sloshed over the edge of the cup as she stumbled after him and she debated on dumping it in someone else's cup along the way. Instead, she turned it up and drank as much as she could before her tongue screamed in protest. She held back a gag and squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from spilling. A pair of hands wound their way around her hips and spun her into the crowd. Her head swam as the alcohol sank deep into her system and she opened her eyes to Jin pressing close to her. A girl behind her knocked her hips against Sakura's and the only way she could move was toward the shinobi whose hands inched a bit lower down her sides.  
  
His hands swayed her hips to the rhythm of the song and she bit her lip, feeling incredibly self conscious amongst the other girls who all seemed to know exactly how to move. Sakura glanced around, her face flushed and hot. She shut her eyes as Jin pulled her face back toward him with a finger under her chin. He held her against his chest, his hands moving across the small of her back. He was careful not to push his boundaries but Sakura knew he was testing how far she would let him go. She laughed to herself and wondered how in the world she had even gotten into this situation in the first place.  
  
He was awfully pushy and she couldn't ever see herself with someone like him, even if Kakashi wasn't in the picture. Then again, maybe he had helped her mature a bit. Two months ago, she may have let Jin take her to a bedroom to drunkenly fool around, despite her ignorance on the matter. It was a strange thing to think about...if she and Kakashi had never started their lessons...Would this be the kind of guy she would have given her virginity to? It was such an absurd idea, one that she had trouble even comprehending, but it could have happened.  
  
Jin moved one hand to her jaw and tilted her face upward, their bodies still pressed close together, swaying to the pounding bass of the song. His thumb traced her lower lip and immediately she thought of Kakashi doing the same. It was something that drove her absolutely mad with desire but now, it only made her realize this was exactly what she did not want. She didn't want to kiss him. She didn't want to dance with him. All she wanted was Kakashi.  
  
Before Jin's lips could touch hers, she turned and shook her head, pulling herself free from his embrace. He stared at her in confusion, the song dying down around them. "I'm sorry. I have to go." She turned, steadying herself along the wall and made her way to the front door. Several people had grouped on the front porch, cigarettes between their fingers as they blew smoke toward the sky. A few glanced her way as she shut the door quickly behind her. Instantly, she felt as if she could breathe again. She knew Ino would be looking for her later but she had to get out of there.  
  
There was only one person she wanted to kiss, and it definitely wasn't a random shinobi from Suna.  
  
Even as she made her way down the dusty, cobblestone street, she could hear the music echoing from Shikamaru's house. It was a good thing he lived in a relatively remote part of the village. Sakura figured there would have been a thousand noise complaints by now if he had any neighbors nearby.  
  
The night sky was bright with twinkling stars and she inhaled a deep breath, lifting her face to the sliver of the crescent moon. It was a beautiful night, and though she hadn't had the fun she had wanted at the party, she was determined not to let it end before she could get a little taste. Her feet knew where to go, despite the drunken fuzziness in her head and as she turned onto the familiar street that would take her right to Kakashi, her body buzzed with excitement.  
  
It was a beautiful night, and perfect for what she wanted. She didn't know why, but she was certain that tonight, she was ready. She wanted Kakashi...all of him.  
  
The tips of her fingers tingled as she imagined him undressing her, kissing his way across her body and a blush spread over her as she thought. Once his building came into view, Sakura had to pause to take a deep breath, her fingers shaking at the thoughts that raced through her head. She decided to put what had happened at the party behind her. There was no more guilt. She had stopped anything from happening and it had only helped her realize what she wanted now.  
  
She only hoped Kakashi wasn't asleep. It was quite late...Maybe she should wait until morning to talk to him. Biting her lip, she lowered her head and stared down at her painted toes peeking out from the straps of her sandals. Her feet refused to turn back.  
  
Squaring her shoulders, she marched onward toward his building. The steps up to the front door were a bit steeper than she remembered them to be and her toe caught on the corner, sending her stumbling to her hands and knees. Her shin banged against the rail and she cursed under her breath, glad that it was such a late hour that no one would be outside to see her drunkenly fall.  
  
She pursed her lips as she glanced down to see the skin torn across her shin and several drops of blood rolling down her leg. "Shit." She wiped them away, smearing a streak of red across her calf. Rolling her eyes at her stupidity, she limped up the rest of the steps and searched for his name on the buzzer beside the front door. She pushed her thumb onto the button by his apartment number and bit her lip as the seconds ticked by in silence.  
  
Oh god, he was asleep. He was going to be so pissed at her for waking him. Sakura spun to flee just as the speaker crackled to life and a sleepy voice answered. "Lo?" She felt as if her chest had filled with an intense heat at the sound of his voice and she touched the speaker tenderly, taking in a deep breath. "Hello?" He asked again, this time a bit angrier for being ignored.  
  
Sakura jumped back a bit before fumbling with the button. "Hey." She breathed, leaning her forehead against the faded, brass plate of apartment numbers to keep her head from spinning. Without answering her, the front doors buzzed and the lock opened. She blinked in surprise and rushed to the glass door, throwing it open before she slipped inside the quiet, empty lobby.  
  
With her hand on the railing, she looked up through the staircase and gasped at the sight of Kakashi staring down at her from his floor. His arms rest across the rail and his mask was off, hair tousled. Sakura felt her body move though she could do nothing but stare up at him. As she got closer, she could see he was shirtless and the sight of him staring down at her made her stomach flutter wildly inside her.  
  
The alcohol in her system amplified the beat of her heart and the pool of heat growing inside her and she bit her lip as she made her way up the last few steps. He stepped back from the railing, his eyes falling down the length of her body. She was glad she had taken Ino's advice and worn the revealing top and shorts that made her legs look slender and long. Under his gaze, she felt sexy and her nipples grew hard in response.  
  
"You're bleeding." He said as he spotted the gash on her leg. Sakura had completely forgotten about it and she looked down at her leg, her head swimming enough to make her stumble and grab the railing. "And you're drunk."  
  
Before she could respond and tell him she wasn't that drunk, he scooped her up with one arm under her knees and the other across her shoulders. Sakura felt her eyes go wide as she clutched his neck. He chuckled as he carried her down the hallway toward his apartment. "I'm capable of walking, you know?" She said, hating the way her words slurred just enough to make her sound too drunk.  
  
"I'm aware. But, this is more fun."  
  
"True." She giggled against his neck and took in his scent. The hair at the back of his head was a bit damp, and she could tell by how delicious he smelled that he had showered recently. She wished she could bottle his scent and wear it every day. It caused a reaction inside her that made her feel both very aroused and cozy.  
  
Kakashi kicked his door shut with his heel and carried her down the darkened hallway in his apartment. Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. She had never been past his living room and the thought of seeing his bedroom made her feel a bit dizzy. She was thankful he had decided to carry her. She certainly didn't trust her legs not to wobble like jello.  
  
He turned to the right and set her down on a counter top before flicking on the light with his elbow. Sakura blinked at the inside of his bathroom as he turned to rummage through a small cabinet behind the door. The floors were black and white tile, kept cleaner than the bathroom she and Ino shared, and Sakura felt her insides warm at the neat and tidy space. Below her on the counter, a cup with a single toothbrush sat next to a box of floss. She couldn't help imagining Kakashi brushing his teeth every morning in front of the mirror and her cheeks flushed as she put herself in the thought, standing right next to him in her pajamas.  
  
Sakura sat up as Kakashi turned back around, a plastic box in his hand labeled as a first aid kit. He popped the lid open and set it down beside her on the sink, pulling out an antiseptic wipe and a large, butterfly band-aid. He knelt down in front of her and inspected the bleeding wound that she didn't even notice anymore. With careful fingers, he cleaned it and stretched the band-aid over the gash before cleaning the dried blood that had dripped down to the front of her ankle.  
  
Her eyes slid closed at the feel of his fingers curling around her heel, his touch so soft it sent shivers down her arms. He pulled at the strap of her sandal and slid it off, doing the same to the other foot. She had never had someone treat her so delicately and though she was strong enough to easily pick him up over her head, it was nice being handled with such care. He pressed a kiss to her shin just above the band-aid before standing to his full height to tower over her.  
  
Opening her eyes, Sakura had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from making a sound. His head ducked and she felt as if she were floating as he kissed her. He put his hands on either side of her hips and she spread her legs to let him get just a bit closer, wrapping them around his waist. It never failed to amaze her how soft his lips were and she was sure she would never get enough of them.  
  
Before it could grow into something a bit deeper, he backed away with a smile. "How much did you drink?"  
  
Sakura put her hand over her mouth, embarrassment clutching at her throat. Did she taste bad? She had consumed more than she had planned to for the night, but she didn't think it would be so much that he could taste it on her breath. Kakashi pulled her hand away and kissed her once more, chuckling at the redness across her cheeks. "I'm not sure." She ducked her head and stared down at her hands in her lap as her fingers began to shake. Her entire body felt as if it were going to unravel from the tight knot it had tangled itself in. "Enough to make me come here. But not too much that I don't know what I'm doing."  
  
Kakashi was quiet for a moment as he brushed her hair back from her face and hooked his finger under her chin, lifting her face to him. "And what's that?" He asked in a whisper, sending chills down Sakura's spine and reminding her of how delicious he had sounded that night over the phone. She swallowed.  
  
"Seduce you."  
  
His jaw clenched and he rest his forehead against hers with a sigh. "Sakura--"  
  
"I'm ready. I want it. I-I want you." She slid her hand against his jaw, slipping it around the back of his neck to the damp strands of hair and curled her fingers through it. Her body was practically crying for his touch but he stood as still as stone aside from the rise and fall of his chest. His shoulders tensed as she slid to the edge of the sink, pressing herself against him. She was pleased to feel the hardness behind his pants.  
  
Kakashi shook his head. "I can't."  
  
"You want to." She whispered against his ear, her hands dipping between them to the draw string of his pants. The knot pulled free and she had to swallow to keep herself from gasping in delight. Her fingers teased at the edge of the fabric hanging low on his hips and she lifted her eyes to his as she slid a hand inside.  
  
Kakashi gripped her wrist and stopped her from reaching her destination and she blinked up at him in surprise. "Please don't make this even harder for me. It's killing me to say no but, I wouldn't feel right after you've been drinking." He pushed away from the sink and though Sakura was feeling the full, brutal force of rejection, she couldn't help glance down at him with a tiny whimper. She did want it, with all of her heart, and it hurt to be pushed away even though she could understood why.  
  
With a small nod, she lowered herself down from the sink and stooped to pick up her forgotten sandals as he backed out into the hallway. God, she felt just as she had the night that she had vomited on that guy all over again, pathetic and stupid. She could feel her stomach twisting tightly as she swallowed the realization that she was just as much of a loser now as she was then. This was worse somehow. Kakashi wasn't just some random guy...he was her friend, and if he didn't want her at her most vulnerable, then when did he want to?  
  
Sakura stopped in the hallway and shook her head at her thoughts. Was she seriously upset he wasn't taking advantage of her? Now, she had reached an entirely new level of stupidity. She tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced at him from over her shoulder. "I'll see you later."  
  
Kakashi laughed as he reached out and snatched her elbow, pulling her back into the light that spread into the hallway from the bathroom. "You don't have to leave." He said with a chuckle.  
  
She frowned and glanced toward the bathroom. "But, you said--"  
  
"That doesn't mean I want you to leave. Besides, I don't like the thought of you walking home while inebriated." He flicked the bathroom light off and pulled her into the darkened room across the hall. She held her breath and nearly fell back against the door frame as a lamp was turned on and lit the inside of Kakashi's bedroom. It was her first time seeing it, and though she had imagined it a thousand times, it still didn't prepare her for actually being in it.  
  
His bed was pushed into the corner to the left with two shelves absolutely packed full of books above it. A table ran beside the bed and held a simple reading lamp and a familiar orange book that she had seen countless times in his hands before with a pair of reading glasses on top. In the center of the room was a worn down, round woven rug that looked as if it had survived through decades of use. A double framed window spanned the wall across the door and two potted plants sat on the window sill, ready to soak up the morning sun. As plain as the room was, it suited him perfectly.  
  
Kakashi took her shoes from her hand and set them down at the foot of the bed before turning to a small wardrobe tucked behind the door. Sakura stepped further into the room and peeked through the blinds on the window, staring down four stories. She couldn't help wonder if he had been laying on his bed the night they had spoken on the phone. The mental image in her head was one she had wondered about since then and she was glad she could picture it just a bit more clear now.  
  
She turned to see Kakashi hand her a folded piece of clothing as he nodded to her. "You can wear this to sleep in. It's a bit too small for me now." He smiled sweetly as she took the shirt in her hands, remarking how soft it was. She bit her lip between her teeth and Kakashi gave a wink and slipped out the bedroom door to give her a moment to change. Sakura almost called out to him, that she didn't care to be shirtless in front of him anymore, but decided against it.  
  
Alone in his bedroom, she brought the shirt to her nose and inhaled deeply and the butterflies in her stomach went wild as if she had given them the exact drug they were searching for. Sakura wiggled out of her shorts quickly and discarded her top beside them, thankful that she had decided not to wear a bra, something she very rarely did. She pulled the shirt on that he had given her and instantly decided she would have to find a way to sneak out with it, because she would not be giving it back. It was so soft from being worn over and over and smelled just like him. She wanted to wear it forever.  
  
The bed frame creaked as she climbed over the mattress and slid her legs under the blankets, waiting for Kakashi to come back. She watched the lights go off one by one down the hallway and the sound of his footsteps on the creaking floor boards made her heart pound wildly inside her chest. He came back into the room carrying two water bottles in one hand and his fist closed around something. Sakura pulled her knees to her chest as he sat on the edge of the mattress and handed her a bottle of water and deposited a couple of white pills in her palm. She looked up at him hesitantly.  
  
"It's just Aspirin. You'll thank me in the morning."  
  
Sakura quickly popped the pills into her mouth and swallowed them with a gulp of water, watching Kakashi out of the corner of his eye as he settled against the pillows beside her. He stifled a yawn with the back of his hand and she felt guilty for keeping him awake so late.  
  
"Were you asleep before?" She turned to him as he folded one arm behind his head. The curve of his bicep distracted her for a brief moment and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from making a sound. He looked so good laying beside her that it was hard to resist climbing on top of him. The familiar ache between her legs returned and she had to tear her eyes away from him.  
  
"I was. I almost ignored the buzzer but, a little voice told me it might be you." His words made her insides ignite and she ducked her head to hide the blush creeping across her face. Kakashi reached up and brushed her hair away from her face and Sakura made the mistake of looking down at him. She didn't know if she would ever get used to his face. It still struck her how incredibly handsome he was.  
  
Sakura felt herself leaning toward him without realizing it and she sighed as their lips touched softly. The feel of his fingers across the back of her neck made her shiver and she slid closer to him, one leg draped over his lap. She felt light headed but knew it wasn't from the alcohol left over in her body. This was just how she felt around him and over the past several weeks, she had come to expect it. She sighed in relief, as if the ache she felt from his absence was finally being soothed.  
  
She pulled away and smiled against his mouth before settling into a comfortable space on his chest, her ear right over his heart. It was beating as fast as hers and she couldn't help the grin that pulled at the corner of her lips. It was nice knowing he was just as excited from kissing her as she was him. Sakura closed her eyes to the steady sound of his breathing mixed with the beat of his heart acting as a lullaby.  
  
Kakashi reached to turn the lamp off before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. In the minutes before sleep took over her, Sakura felt relieved that he had refused her offer. She still wanted him and she didn't think she would ever stop wanting him. But, being with him, just the simplicity of laying beside him and listening to his heart beat was exactly what Sakura wanted and she couldn't remember a time she felt happier.

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AN- So sorry for taking so long with this chapter! I think I re-wrote it twenty times so I hope you like the final draft :D


	11. Toothbrush

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The morning sunlight shone brightly through the half drawn blinds of Kakashi's bedroom, falling across Sakura's face. She shifted under the sheets, pushing her hands beneath the pillows as she took a deep breath and inhaled the smell of him that surrounded her. Despite the ache in her head and slight nausea from drinking so much the previous night she had to admit, this was the best hangover she had.

Rolling toward his side, she glanced to where she expected him to be laying only to find the bed empty beside her. She sat up on her elbows and glanced around the room, feeling the full force of her headache now that she was moving. Her head was still a bit fuzzy from the alcohol and she scowled at the light streaming in through the window. She reached over to the table beside the bed and turned the ancient looking alarm clock to read the time. It was later than she thought and the realization that she had promised to be on clean up duty from Choji's party made her groan and collapse against Kakashi's pillow. His scent was embedded into the fibers and all she wanted was for him to come back to bed and let her experience it on his body.

Among other things...

Laying across his bed, Sakura put her hand to her forehead and dipped her chakra to her palm to ease the ache in her skull. She was thankful for the aspirin he had made her take the night before. She didn't even want to think about the massive headache she would have had she refused it. As the pain began to subside, she laid still and listened for any movement outside the bedroom. The door was shut but she could still hear the sound of footsteps moving over the floorboards. She smiled to herself and wondered if he had woken early and decided to let her sleep.

Or what if she had snored so loudly he had to leave the room? Or what if she had killer morning breath and he couldn't stand being next to her anymore?

She pressed a hand to her mouth and puffed out a few breaths to see if she could smell anything atrocious. Sakura bit her lip and sunk deep into the sheets, embarrassment searing her insides. She knew she couldn't lay in his bed all day. Aside from the fact that she had to head back to Shikamaru's house, she truly did want to spend at least a few minutes with him before she left. The previous night hadn't gone exactly how she had wanted and she was craving some of his attention.

Sakura slid out of bed and glanced to her pile of clothes laying scattered across his floor. Her cheeks grew pink at the sight and she found that she happened to like the way they looked there, as if he had stripped her in the throes of passion. She decided not to change just yet and tiptoed out into the hallway. By the sound of the light clanging of pots and utensils she could tell he was in the kitchen and as she stood rooted to the spot, she could smell something delicious cooking.

He was making breakfast...for them...after she had spent the night. She touched her fingertips to her lips and found herself unable to stop smiling at the thought. Sure they had spent the night together before, but this was in his home this time and for some reason, it felt like a bigger step toward...She didn't know what, just yet. But, she liked where ever this was going.

The butterflies in her stomach soared to life so suddenly she feared they would lift her off the floor and float her down the hallway. Sakura chewed on the edge of her thumbnail as she listened to Kakashi humming softly to himself and the image of him standing before the stove with a little apron around his hips made her giggle softly to herself. She hoped he had an apron and that he was wearing it. The sight of it would be far too adorable for her to bear.

On tip toes, she made her way down the hallway and around the corner to peek into his kitchen. He had no apron on, nor a shirt and stood with his back to her as he stirred the contents of a steaming pot. Sakura had been expecting cute and sweet...not a sight that made her mouth water and her legs weak at the knees. She couldn't help letting her eyes travel from the back of his head down the line of muscles across his shoulders and the curve of his ass dipping behind the linen pants that hung dangerously low on his hips. Her fingers twitched as she remembered how she had been so close to getting her hands beneath those pants the night before. Had he been shirtless in bed? She couldn't remember through the haze of all the alcohol she had drank...she wondered how she would have the strength to keep her hands to herself all night. Even now that she was sober, she was fighting hard against the urge to rake her fingertips down his shoulders and feel the length of all of those muscles.

He turned to glance over his shoulder at her and Sakura felt her heart skip several beats as he smiled bright. "Morning." God, how did he make his voice sound so good? Had it always been that low, that tantalizing? She couldn't remember ever thinking much of it, but now that she had heard him say some very sexy things to her, she noticed it a lot. He had said one word to her and already she was panting.

Kakashi turned as he caught a glimpse of her standing in the doorway with nothing but his T-shirt on. She felt her entire body blush as his eyes glanced down the length of her body, pausing on her bare legs stretched beneath his shirt. She was glad she had decided not to change back into her shorts. The smile that stretched across his face made Sakura swallow and she feared she wouldn't be able to handle much more without crossing the kitchen floor and jumping into his arms. "Did you sleep well?" He asked, turning back to the rice and veggies on the stove.

She still couldn't speak. The sight of him looking so delicious as he cooked breakfast for her had left her utterly speechless. She could only nod as she took a step toward him, leaning a hip against the cold edge of the counter top. He quickly glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he turned the heat off and grabbed two bowls for them. "You okay?" He asked, making her snap out of her trance.

"Yeah," she croaked, wishing it wasn't so difficult to form a coherent sentence around him. "I'm just...a bit hungover, I guess."

"I figured you would be." He said with a hint of humor in his voice. With a flash of a smile, he handed a bowl of rice and steaming vegetables to her and nodded. "This will help."

Sakura took the bowl and smiled in thanks, wishing she could just tell him that she was feeling more drunk on him than she had been on alcohol the previous night. There was no point in even drinking anymore. The dizziness and butterflies she got from him were better than any high she could get in any bar. She licked her lips and ate her breakfast quietly, staring into her bowl. She knew if she looked up at him, she might not be able to keep herself on her side of the kitchen. Her fingers shook as she set her bowl down onto the counter and snagged the cup of coffee he had poured for her. It did nothing to help the fever she was feeling just from being near him and she wondered if she should switch it for a cold cup of water...or a cold shower.

She sipped at the coffee anyway and wiped the back of her hand across her lips, glancing at him as he dumped his bowl into the sink. "I did sleep well though. Thank you for letting me stay."

Kakashi quickly ran his hands under the faucet and dried them on a hand towel. "You're welcome. I enjoyed your company. So, how was the party? I don't think I ever asked. Did Choji enjoy his birthday?" He turned and stood across the kitchen from her, leaning against the counter top behind him. The scars across his skin caught her eye and she had to shake the image of her running her lips across them from her head. Blinking herself out of her trance, she smiled up at him.

"Oh, yeah...well, I think so. I was being a bit antisocial, actually." Sakura glanced down at her hands and bit her lip, wondering if she should tell him about everything that had happened at the party. She wasn't sure if he would be jealous that she had danced with and nearly kissed someone else. He didn't seem like the jealous type, but a tiny part of her wanted him to be.

"Why's that?" He asked, curling a finger around a mug of coffee before taking a sip. She laughed at herself and decided not to tell him that she had moped around by a koi pond because he hadn't shown up. With a shrug, she set her coffee cup down and crossed her arms over her chest. "No reason. I guess I didn't feel like partying."

"Just drinking, then?" He winked and Sakura ignored the rush of flutters inside.

"Well, that wasn't exactly my fault. I had decided to stop but...A guy made me a drink and it happened to be a bit stronger than I was used to." Her heart thundered in her chest and she stared down at her toe tracing a line on the kitchen tile. She couldn't bring herself to look at him but, she could feel the air between them become just a bit more tense. She swallowed and risked a glance up at him. "He tried to kiss me, too." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Did you let him?" Kakashi asked in a quiet voice as he took a few steps toward her. Being so close to him now made the kitchen feel much smaller and Sakura felt her body respond to his nearness. As his hands gripped the counter top on either side of her hips, she feared her legs would give out and she would melt to the floor. She lifted her face to look up at him, their lips only inches apart now. It would be so easy to close that distance between them, but she was enjoying the tease of being close without touching.

"No." She whispered, glancing from his lips up to his eyes. The heat behind his stare made her knees nearly buckle beneath her. She was thankful for the counter behind her to keep herself steady.

"Good. I don't like the thought of anyone else kissing you, or tasting you..." His words turned her on more than she had ever felt before. She swallowed hard as she stared up at him, begging him to kiss her, touch her, anything! It was too much to take and the heat pooling inside her was starting to burn. "You're mine."

Hearing him say those words made Sakura truly feel like she would float to the ceiling now. They filled her head and heart with such foreign feelings that she couldn't quite catch her breath and though she wanted so badly to kiss him, she also wanted to know exactly what he meant. She was his...She had been his for weeks now. But, did he only want her for the fun they were having...or did he want her heart too? It was so much to think about that she felt dizzy and she realized that she had been holding in her breath.

Before she could even gasp for air, he closed the distance between them. His hands caught her jaw and pulled her face toward his, kissing her hungrily. Sakura sighed against his mouth as her hands sought his skin, running over the sharp muscles along his ribs and down to his hips. Her body sang happily, her craving and need for him finally being satisfied and the thousands of questions in her head hushed.

Kakashi pushed her back onto the counter and pulled her legs around his waist, his fingers dancing across her thighs and around to her ass. He pushed his hands under her shirt and Sakura felt her nipples harden at the nearness of his touch. As his thumb grazed across the sensitive bud, her body trembled and she couldn't help the moan that rattled her throat. His lips left hers but before she could protest, he pressed a kiss to her neck and the feel of his tongue across her skin quieted her.

"As much as I love seeing you wear nothing but my shirt, I really want to take it off of you." He murmured against hear earlobe, sending a shiver across her body. The combination of his delicious voice, his hands hot against her breasts, and how intense her arousal was, Sakura couldn't respond. She could only nod and lift her hands over her head so he could peel the shirt away and drop it behind him. Being naked in his kitchen wasn't exactly how she thought the morning would progress, but she wasn't complaining.

She felt her entire body blush as he glanced from her face, down across her bare chests and back to meet her eyes. He held the side of her face and brushed his thumb along her bottom lip. Sakura leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, her heart racing to the point that she felt breathless again. She sucked in a tiny breath as he lowered his head, kissing along her collar bone and throat and she wondered if he was close enough to hear how hard her heart was beating. Surely he felt it's drumming beat as his palm fit over her breast.

Sakura let her head fall back against the cabinets, knocking the door into a dish, but she could barely hear the clang of glass over the sound of her own pulse in her ears. Everything he was doing, she adored. The feel of his hands slipping softly over her skin, his tongue swirling warmly around her nipple...She loved it. She loved his hands, his mouth, his lips as they kissed her. They were the comfort to all of her fears, the answers to the questions she couldn't keep out of her head. She loved it all...

Kakashi's fingers curled around the edge of her panties and she gasped, startled that she hadn't even noticed him moving lower. He was on his knees in front of her and Sakura felt her entire body trembling at the memory of the last time his head was between her thighs. She let him pull her legs further apart and bit her bottom lip hard as he glanced up at her, his eyes dark with desire. Her fingers raked through his hair as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the cabinets again.

Three loud knocks at his door made both of them freeze and Sakura let out a tiny shriek before clamping her hand over her mouth. Kakashi stared up at her, one corner of his lips lifting at the sight of her. He put a finger to his mouth and Sakura stared down at him. She couldn't help notice how close he still was to her panties. Seconds passed that felt like hours and she looked down at him, eyebrow raised. Did they leave? Who the hell would be at his door at 8:30 in the morning?

"Kakashi!" A familiar, boisterous voice called from the other side of the door, followed by a series of more knocks. Kakashi sighed and let his head fall against her thigh. She thought she heard him swear under his breath, but couldn't be too sure. He stood to his full height and lifted her chin with a finger. "Don't move. I'll be right back."

Like hell she wouldn't move! There was no way she was going to be sitting, shirtless, on his counter top when Guy could burst into his apartment at any moment. She slipped off the counter top, snatched her shirt from the floor and hurried to the dark corner of the kitchen where she could hide beside the fridge. She held his shirt up to her chest and listened hard, hearing Kakashi take a deep breath and sigh before twisting the locks and cracking the door open.

"I told you he would be sleeping." Another voice Sakura recognized instantly as Iruka's said. She smacked her forehead and prayed to whatever god up above that they did not walk in to find her crouched like a crazy person beside his fridge. Surely, Kakashi would keep them in the hallway. "I guess you forgot what today is?"

"Thursday?" Kakashi asked in a sleepy, yet slightly annoyed tone.

"Not just any Thursday!" Guy said loudly, making Sakura nearly topple over as she crouched low in the shadows. She had to remind herself that he just had a loud voice and that he was not making his way into Kakashi's apartment. "It's our monthly youthful sparring match! Don't tell me you've been slacking and are looking for a way out of it this month!"

Kakashi sighed and hesitated a moment. From his silence, Sakura could tell that he did indeed forget. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to go down on her in his kitchen moments ago. Her face flushed hotly as she glanced to where she had been sitting on the counter. God, if only they hadn't knocked. How far would she have let him go this time?

"I didn't forget. I'm just...a bit busy, today."

"Too busy to spar with your rival? What could possibly be more important than this?" She could hear how truly offended Guy was and she couldn't help the giggle that bubbled inside her throat. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, hoping they hadn't heard her. Her hopes crashed at the sound of both Guy and Iruka chuckling softly from the hallway. They had definitely heard her.

"I can think of one thing more important." Iruka teased. She heard a heavy sigh from Kakashi and let her head fall against her knees, wishing she didn't have to be such a loser. Why did she think they wouldn't hear her? All she had to do was sit as quiet as a mouse and she could have Kakashi back in her arms...or between her legs. Now, there would be no end to the teasing.

"Can you give me a few minutes? I'll meet you downstairs." Kakashi shut the door in their faces before they could respond. Their cheers echoed through the quiet apartment and Sakura could distinctly hear Guy shouting, "Such youth!" as they retreated down the hall. She stood and slipped the shirt over her head, walking out of the kitchen with her cheeks as pink as her hair.

Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest as he made his way to her. "I could have faked a cold, you know. We could have spent the whole day together." Sakura ducked her head and covered her face with both hands, knowing she ruined their day.

"I know. I'm sorry."

She felt his hands on her wrists, pulling them away from her face until she looked up at him. His hair was tousseled from having her fingers running through it and she bit her lip. He gripped her hips and pushed her back until she was against the wall, his fingers so tight across her flesh that she let out a small whimper. Kakashi ducked his head and covered her lips with his, kissing her so tenderly she felt the butterflies fluttering against her insides. She slid her hands up the back of his neck, running his hair through her fingers and marveling at how soft it was. The contrast of his delicate kiss and his hands still gripped tightly on her hips made her legs weak.

Her head swam in a way only he could cause but she couldn't help fearing the return of Iruka and Guy, knowing she would absolutely die if they decided to burst in and drag him out. Breaking their kiss, Sakura let her head fall back against the wall as she blinked up at him. "Aren't you going to meet them downstairs?" She asked in a whisper as he leaned down and continued to kiss along her neck.

She felt him smile against her collar bone before he nipped gently at her skin. "They can wait a few minutes." His words were warm against her throat and she closed her eyes, the same slow ache returning from before. A few minutes wasn't near enough time to do all the things she wanted and she knew he was just teasing her, punishing her for ending their day so abruptly.

"Is this why you're always late? You're too busy kissing random girls to show up on time?" She gasped as he lifted her off the floor and held her against the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist. He grinned up at her and Sakura felt such a rush of heat flare through her that she feared she would ignite.

"I'm not kissing a random girl."

She scoffed and tried to keep her mind focused but, the feel of his hand dipping beneath her shirt and his lips finding the very sensitive spot below her ear made it hard to think of much else. "Oh, really?" Was all she could even think to say. She bit her lip to hide her shuddering breath.

"Mm." He murmured against her neck. "You're more than a random girl, and you know it."

Her heart nearly stopped at his words, eyes snapping open and not because his hand had found its way back to her nipples. She bit her lip hard. It was difficult trying to concentrate on what he was saying while his thumb circled her sensitive bud. Her body was practically screaming at her to shut up and enjoy the moment, but how could she? He was saying so many things that she hadn't realized she wanted to hear until now.

She was more than a random girl...How was she supposed to know that? And what did it even mean?

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't immediately heard the shouting from out in the street until Kakashi sighed heavily and laid his forehead against her shoulder. The pair outside were making quite a noise, cat calling and whistling and Sakura felt her face grow hot. "I guess they're not letting me keep them waiting today." He said, letting her feet fall back to the floor.

She tugged the shirt down to her hips and suddenly felt as shy and timid as she had on the first day of being in his apartment. Kakashi scrubbed his hand over his face and gave a helpless shrug before heading down the hallway toward his bedroom. Sakura stood still, her stomach so twisted in knots she almost felt ill. She bit the corner of her thumbnail as she followed him, knowing she had to get dressed as well and meet up with Ino. It was the last thing she wanted to do but, she doubted he would let her lounge around his apartment while he was gone. Then again, he didn't seem to be the type to care too much about it.

He was slipping a shirt over his head as she walked in and she caught one last glimpse of his chest and stomach before being covered. She was sad to see his face covered once more as well. Sakura leaned against the door frame as she watched him slip his feet into a pair of shoes while his hands buckled a belt around his hips. It was odd being so turned on watching him putting clothes on. The way he moved so smoothly and effortlessly made Sakura feel like she was 13 again with a ridiculous crush.

She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear as he glanced toward her, the corner of his mask lifting in a smile. "Will I see you again today?" He asked, snatching his headband off the desk beside his bed.

"I told Ino I would help her clean up the party mess. I'm sure she's going to be curious about where I disappeared to last night." Sakura grabbed her shorts from the floor and slid them over her hips, wondering if he would mind if she took his shirt. He had said it was too small for him now. She stooped to grab the top she had picked out especially for him to see and folded it, deciding to stop by and dump it at her place before heading to meet Ino.

As she stood back to her feet, Kakashi stepped close and slid his hand around her waist, turning her to face him. She blinked up at him as he pushed a strand of hair from her face. "You don't have to leave, you know?" He drew his thumb across her lower lip. "I'll be done in an hour or so."

"Don't tempt me. If I stay gone that long, they're going to come looking for me." She curled her fingers around the edge of his mask, pulling it down over the curve of his lips. Standing on her tip toes, she pressed her mouth to his and kissed him quickly, just to get one more taste. He was smiling as she slipped his mask back in place. "And if you don't hurry, they're going to come breaking down your door."

"Fine, fine! I'm leaving." He sighed in defeat, squeezing her once more before turning toward the door. "I'll distract them so they won't see you leaving. You're more than welcome to take your time, eat something else, brush your teeth."

"I don't have a toothbrush here..."

"There's an extra one in the cabinet. If you want it, it's yours." He winked and Sakura felt her stomach plummet to the floor. She watched him walk into the hallway and a few seconds later, the front door shut quietly behind him. The silence fell fast and Sakura didn't like how deafening it was. She moved her eyes to the darkened bathroom across the hall. Her feet moved her forward though she couldn't remember deciding to and she realized her body was on autopilot. She watched as she opened the cabinet door inside the bathroom and quickly found the unopened package sticking up out of a basket of various shampoo bottles and soaps.

It was a plain, purple toothbrush and was such a silly, simple thing but she felt as if he had given her a piece of jewelry or something. It was just a toothbrush...but it was hers, and it would sit beside his in the blue cup on his sink. Would he think of her when he went to brush his teeth? Would he imagine her standing beside him like she had the previous night? Sakura pressed a hand to her stomach as she ran the toothbrush under the water and grabbed his half used tube of toothpaste.

It was a different flavor than she was used to but, it tasted like him and she couldn't help the goofy smile on her lips as she stared at herself, brushing her teeth in his mirror. She bent low to the sink and spit, a sudden, jarring thought crossing her mind. Why did he have an extra toothbrush anyway? Did he keep one around in case he had someone over? Was he used to women spending the night with him?

Sakura wiped her mouth with a towel and watched her smile fade away. Just how many women has he had in this bathroom, staring at themselves in his mirror, thrilled just to have a toothbrush sitting next to his?

* * *

 

Shikamaru's house was a wreck and though Ino had recruited several friends to help, they hadn't even made a dent in the mess by the time Sakura arrived. She stepped over a strangely shaped puddle beside the front door and wrinkled her nose. The smell of alcohol reminded her instantly of how much she had drank the night before and her stomach turned.

She pushed her sunglasses up her head to hold her hair back and stepped into the house, shutting the door loudly behind her. She could hear a garbage bag rustling in the kitchen and an angry voice outside on the patio and figured it was Shikamaru, telling Ino just how pissed he was over the destruction of his house. Beer bottles lined the bar that separated the kitchen from the main area of the house and Sakura leaned forward to peek out the sliding glass doors to the back yard. Sure enough, her best friend stood on the steps, hands on her hips while she snapped angrily at the man as he swept several bottles and napkins into a trash bag.

There was no way Sakura was going out there right now. Ino was probably already furious she had left early and she didn't want to risk facing her wrath right now. Instead, she turned toward the kitchen and hurried around the bar. Hinata was stooped to the floor, wiping up what looked like smashed, cherry jello off of the bottom cabinets. "Hey." Sakura said, leaning her hip against the counter.

The girl turned and blinked up at her with a smile. "Hey! Oh, don't go outside." Hinata glanced over the counter toward the back door. "They've been arguing for half an hour now." She stood and tossed the dirty towel into the garbage bag in her hands before dumping it beside the fridge. "Where'd you disappear to last night? You left before all the really crazy stuff happened."

Sakura blinked. She had to admit, she regretted missing the crazy stuff but, wouldn't have traded her night for anything. Well, definitely not her morning. Her cheeks flushed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She risked a glance out the door before ducking her head so only Hinata could hear. "I went to Kakashi's." She whispered, and ignored the smile that stretched across her friend's lips.

"I figured. Did anything happen?" Her eyes lit up the same way Ino's did when there was a piece of juicy gossip to hear and Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The blonde was definitely rubbing off on Hinata and Sakura figured that probably wasn't a good thing.

She shook her head and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning. "No, I was too drunk. But, we had fun this morning." God, it felt so weird talking to someone about him. She was thankful Hinata wasn't a judgmental person and that she was a good listener. She couldn't imagine telling Ino about how her former sensei almost went down on her in his kitchen. Her face flushed bright pink and she opened her mouth to give the girl a few details.

The sound of the glass door sliding open made her clamp her mouth shut quickly and she turned to see Ino stomping back inside the house. A large black garbage bag hung from both of her hands as she blew her hair out of her face. Her steps faltered a bit as she caught sight of Sakura. "Well, it's so nice of you to show up after disappearing last night. You missed the cake, and a fight, and some girl breaking the bed in Shikamaru's room. He's pretty pissed about that."

"Wait, there was a fight? Between who?" Sakura glanced from Ino to Hinata but the blonde shook her head, sending her ponytail swishing back and forth over her shoulders.

"No. You don't get to hear the details until you tell us where you went."

Sakura rolled her eyes and snatched an empty garbage bag from the table, opening it before throwing a few beer bottles inside. She didn't necessarily want to clean, but it was a nice distraction for them while she tried to think of an excuse. "I just left. The guy from Suna was getting a bit...pushy and I didn't feel comfortable." The bottles clinked loudly as she tossed them into the bag one by one. She crossed into the living area and cleared off one of the side tables beside the couch, both Ino and Hinata following close by.

"You just left? Why not punch him through a wall if he's being too pushy." She put her hands on her hips and raised a slender, golden eyebrow, not believing a word Sakura was saying.

"I just wanted some air. Can we drop it? I don't know why you think I'm sneaking around or something all the time! I swear, I just went for a walk, then I went home." Ugh, she felt like crap for lying to her best friend and she didn't even know why she was doing it. It had been going on for so long now that it was the only thing she could think to do. It would be so easy for her to just tell her the truth, but at the same time, the words just would not come out. She could trust Hinata...she kept her love for Naruto a secret for so long, she was practically the god of keeping things to herself.

"Fine." Ino snatched one of her garbage bags back from the floor and angrily tossed trash into it. They both stayed on opposite sides of the room, moving through the mass of bottles, napkins, and discarded plates of half eaten cake. Sakura hated the tension between them but she couldn't help it. She was just now figuring out how she was feeling about Kakashi...she didn't think she would be able to explain it to someone like Ino. Sure, it started out as something purely physical but, it had definitely evolved since then and she didn't know what it had become.

After nearly an hour of picking up trash, wiping spilled beer off of walls and tables, and not saying much to each other, the house was almost back to looking normal. Shikamaru had completely covered the back yard, returning it back to its former state. He tossed a few flakes of food into the koi pond as Sakura stared out the glass doors. She was sweating and smelly and wanted nothing more than a hot shower.

The front door behind her opened and she glanced in the reflection of the glass door to see Naruto bounce in, grinning and bright eyed. Either he bounced back fast after a night of heavy drinking, or he had stayed sober the whole night. Sakura couldn't remember seeing him drink much, but she wasn't exactly paying attention to him.

"Hey! You've got a Team Seven shirt, too!" He pointed to the grey, worn T-shirt that Sakura wore and she felt her stomach drop. "I got Kakashi one made just like it for his birthday a few years ago!"

A cold sweat spread over Sakura as she glanced to the kitchen where Hinata stood, wide eyed and her hand covering her mouth. From the other side of the room, Ino's jaw dropped and the glass cleaner she was holding fell to the floor with a thud. Panicking, Sakura turned to the mirror hanging as decor on the wall. She spun and caught sight of the back of the shirt that she hadn't even bothered to look at. Written in black, faded letters were the words 'Team 7' across her shoulders.

Her mouth felt as dry as the desert sand as she slowly turned to face her two best friends, whose faces held similar expressions of shock. Hinata clamped her mouth shut quickly and grabbed Naruto by the elbow, pulling him into the kitchen with her. "What's going on? Why are you all looking at each other like that? What did I say?"

* * *

 


	12. Four Letter Words

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Kakashi lifted his face to the morning sun as he folded his arms behind his head and lounged back against the brick wall. He felt bad for cheating in Iruka and Gai's monthly game, but he was in no mood to race them through the village today. Gai had even gone as far as drawing out a map of the course. It started at the Academy and wound through the streets and back alleys until it reached ten feet from where they had started. He had glanced at the short distance between the start and finish and once Gai had counted down from 3 and the two had set off as fast as they could, Kakashi fell back and strolled to the finish line.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and guessed he had about 15 minutes until they either discovered he wasn't participating or they made their way around the village to catch him lazing about. Either way, he was alone with his thoughts and he wasn't sure he really wanted to be. Sure, he didn't want to put effort into the race, but sitting at the base of the village walls, alone in the quiet shade with nothing but his thoughts wasn't exactly the best idea. Especially when his mind couldn't help turning back to a certain pink haired girl who had been occupying his thoughts a lot lately.

She was one of the last things he thought about after laying his head down at night and the reason he had woke up so many mornings with a hard on. Just like he had that morning, and he cursed his biology for reacting to the nearness of her body in his bed. He didn't trust himself not to keep his hands to himself, especially when she made tiny, whimpering noises in her sleep that sounded surprisingly arousing. He had slipped from the bed in the early morning light and tried to pull his thoughts from the gutter as she slept on. It hadn't worked too well, not when he knew she was half naked in his bed.

Kakashi let his eyes close and wondered how far Iruka and Gai had made it around the twisting course yet. He figured Iruka had suspected him of cheating by now but the latter would be sprinting full force for the finish line, hell bent on winning this time. They'd challenge him to a rematch, but he was still feeling a bit irritated that they had interrupted his morning.

Probably for the best. There was still a part of him that felt like a creep for what he was doing with his former pupil. It constantly reminded him that he was a pervert, far too old to be getting mixed up with things like this with a girl he had known for so long. But that side of him usually got silenced by the other half that looked forward to seeing her. He didn't quite know how to feel about the way his pulse had quickened at the sound of her voice at his door the night before. It had been a long time since a girl had given him a reaction like that, like he was dying of thirst and she was a glass of ice cold, crystal clear water. It was a need for her now and realizing that he needed her made his apprehensive side rear it's ugly head and made him feel a bit frightened.

He scowled up at the sky and wished he had remembered to bring his Icha-Icha book. It would be a perfect distraction from his unwanted, analyzing thoughts. But, then again, the characters in his favorite book were beginning to look a bit different than how he usually pictured them. He had been frustrated a few a few nights ago when the main female character suddenly had green eyes and pink hair when he envisioned her in his head and he had slammed the book shut with a frown. It was hard not to think of Sakura though, when he could smell her on him for days after they were together. Every breath he drew in, there was just enough of her to make him think of her in some way or another and memories of their lessons flared back to life inside his head. It was a never ending cycle these past few weeks and though part of him didn't know how to feel about it all, he couldn't help but feel...happy.

If he was truly being honest with himself, he liked that she occupied so much of his thoughts. She was beautiful, sexy and made him laugh. She had been his friend for so long and it was nice to be able to trust someone the way he trusted her. There wasn't much to dislike, despite the fact that he still felt like a creep whenever he wanted to kiss her or touch her. Which was a lot.

He wanted her right now and hadn't stopped wanting her since that day she had stood on her tip toes in his living room to kiss him. He hadn't expected to like it, had hoped she would feel it was too strange to continue on, but was glad she hadn't. That first night...he thought about it often. She had been so sweet and naive. Her fingers had been shaking as she handed him that library book so full of her post it notes and he had wanted to hold her hands and tell her she had nothing to be scared of but he had hesitated. Mostly because he was afraid of his fingers trembling around hers. He had been with numerous women, mostly one night stands and a few that continued for a couple of weeks. Being with a woman didn't make him nervous...but Sakura did. He wasn't sure if it was because she was inexperienced or if it was just because it was her...but he had been nervous as he sat next to her on his couch, completely taken aback by all of the time and effort she had put into researching in those books. He was surprised by the flutter of butterflies inside him as she had stood and stared up at him through a sultry, half-lidded gaze. He hadn't expected that kind of reaction from her and he was even more shocked by how turned on it made him.

And his stomach still fluttered anytime he saw her now. When she was coming up the stairs the night before, cheeks flushed from alcohol, her hair slightly disheveled, he had never wanted someone more in his entire life. She had looked up at him and for a few seconds, he had been unable to breath, wondering when she had become so stunning. Kakashi opened his eyes to the blue sky above him and sighed, cursing himself for letting his mind wander. It was just the way things were not, though. Any free moment to himself, he thought of her. This time was no different but the daydreams were a bit stronger today when his hands had been on her hips just a few minutes ago. He could smell her shampoo on him, could still feel the curve of her body on his finger tips and he still wanted her.

Footsteps pounded up the street to his left and he settled back against the wall, knowing his daydreams would soon be interrupted by Gai demanding a rematch and a pissed off Iruka giving him his infamous gaze of disappointment.

"He's no where behind me! Today is the day!" He could hear Gai motivating himself with a pep talk as he ran the last few yards. Kakashi almost regretted cheating. "I won!!" Gai announced as he slid to a stop at the finish line. His chest puffed proudly and he spun toward the course, grinning widely as he waited for Kakashi and Iruka. His smile quickly vanished as he caught sight of his rival lounging lazily in the shade to his left. "Wha...how...I was in front of you the whole race!"

Kakashi stood to his feet just as the last racer made it to the finish line, barely out of breath. It was clear that Iruka didn't put much effort into his race. He scowled at Kakashi and crossed his arms over his chest. "He stayed behind the whole time."

Gai's jaw dropped as if he had been slapped right across the face. Kakashi let his shoulders slump as he glanced down at the ground, wishing he had just faked a cold to spare himself the look of betrayal on his friend's faces. "I told you I wasn't in much of a mood for a race today."

"Yeah, I'm guessing that has everything to do with the giggling we heard in your apartment this morning?" Iruka teased, grabbing a bottle of water from the pack on his back.

"No."

"Oh, don't try to deny it. You've been pouting since we dragged you away from there. Who is it this time? The girl from the cafe? She'd been giving you looks for a while now." He playfully punched the masked shinobi across the shoulder. There was no way Kakashi would tell them the truth. They wouldn't understand and besides, he wanted to hold onto the secret of Sakura just a bit longer.

With a shrug, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned to glance toward his apartment building in the distance, wondering if she were still in his bedroom. It was a nice thought to have and he pictured her laying in his bed, wearing nothing but his sheets and he felt a small flush to his face at the image. He glanced quickly between the two men who stared, waiting for an answer from him. "No. It's not her."

"Well, who is it, then?" Gai crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes fixed on Kakashi as if he waited with his breath held. In fact, both of them were staring at him like teenage girls about to hear the juiciest piece of gossip. Kakashi ran a hand through his hair and shrugged apologetically. "It's a secret." He turned to make his way back home, hoping he could catch his secret before she left.

Behind him, Iruka and Gai mumbled to each other under their breath, but Kakashi could hear their words. "He must really like her." Iruka suggested and it was true. He did like her, though that felt like an enormous understatement. He was starting to think his feelings for his former pupil were growing closer to another four letter word.

 

* * *

 

  
Sakura couldn't stand the look on Ino's face. It was a cross between shock, fury, and complete and utter disbelief. It was the exact look she had been trying to avoid for the past two months. She felt ill, like she could throw up the breakfast Kakashi had made her that morning and she put a hand to her stomach to soothe the ache. She glanced toward the front door but the blonde seemed to anticipate Sakura's desire to flee and she stepped between her and the only exit. She was trapped and she would have to face the lies she had been feeding Ino since this whole thing started.

Behind her, the sliding glass doors opened and she could hear Shikamaru kick one of the trash bags inside. God, she could not have this conversation in front of him. The thought of him knowing about her and Kakashi made the chunks rise to the back of her throat and she eyed the darkened hallway that ran between the kitchen and living room. There was a bathroom at the end of the hallway and she figured it was the best place to hide from the wrath of her best friend.

Sakura took off just as Shikamaru's asked what the hell was going on and she didn't stop until the bathroom door was slammed shut and locked behind her. Glancing around the small bathroom, her heart thundered inside her and she cursed at the absence of a window she could escape from. Her pulse pounded in time with Ino's footsteps as she made her way down the hallway. Sakura backed away from the door and bit her thumbnail, wondering what she did to deserve this. All she wanted was to keep her relationship a secret. Why was that such a big deal?

Sure, this relationship was a pretty big deal and would blow some people's minds but did that mean they deserved to know about it? It was her life and if she wanted to be Kakashi's girlfriend then it shouldn't be anyone else's concern. Sakura glanced at her reflection in the mirror to her right and blinked in surprise. Did she want to be Kakashi's girlfriend? They had never been on a normal date before. And she refused to call their night at the cinema a date. But...she had wanted it to be and was even a little disappointed that it hadn't been...though, it had been quite an enjoyable experience for her.

The doorknob rattled and she could hear a heavy sigh from the other side. Three sharp knocks and Sakura had to bite her tongue to keep from groaning in misery. This was the last conversation she wanted to have, not because she was embarrassed to be with Kakashi, but for the fact that she had hidden it from her best friend for so long. And the worst part would be hearing the words "I knew it!" from Ino's mouth. She had been suspicious since day one almost, no matter how hard Sakura tried her best to keep it hidden. But, now she'd have to face the truth, and that terrified her. She could barely think about where this whole situation with Kakashi was going...she definitely couldn't explain it out loud. At least not without copious amounts of wine. "Sakura, I know you're in there. I can hear you whining."

Ugh, she hadn't realized she had been making any noise at all. Sighing, she dropped her hands and sat back on the toilet lid, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. There was no way she could face Ino and come clean...the bathroom door was going to stay closed. Clearing her throat, Sakura decided it was best to play dumb.

"I'll be out in a bit."

She heard another heavy sigh full of annoyance from the other side of the door and Ino twisted the knob, rattling it hard. "You know I can break this door down."

"I'm using the bathroom." Sakura replied, wondering if she stayed in the bathroom for so long that Ino would get tired of waiting and leave. It was her only chance of getting out of there without having to face her and the odds of it happening were pretty damn impossible.

"Ugh! No, you aren't! You're just trying to avoid me and if you don't start telling me what the hell is going on, I'm kicking the door in!" Ino shouted right against the door. She tried the knob again but the lock held it's place. Sakura chewed her bottom lip, unable to run, unable to hide. This was it. She was just going to have to tell the truth.

"I'm going to count to three. One.."

But, how could she even begin to tell Ino what was going on? Sure telling her that she and Kakashi had started fooling around because she was so inexperienced was easy. She wasn't worried about that part.

"Two!"

It was everything else. There was no way Ino would be satisfied with knowing Sakura and Kakashi were just friends with benefits. She would ask questions, demand to know how Sakura felt...was she ready to admit how she felt? Or, could she keep lying to her best friend and herself?

"One!"

"Okay! Fine. You win." Sakura shouted but made no move toward the door. Her feet wouldn't budge and she had to drag in a deep, shuddering breath before she could even move. She twisted the lock and pulled the door open an inch, glancing past Ino's furious face toward the hallway. She would say nothing if Naruto and Shikamaru were within earshot. It would be a long, long time before she let her former team mate find out about this. He had a big mouth and she was sure he would never let her hear the end of it if he found out. Not to mention, he would tease Kakashi relentlessly.

"It's just me." Ino said with a roll of her eyes, slipping her hand into the crack before she pushed the door open and slipped inside. Sakura stumbled back onto the bath mat and dropped down onto the toilet lid, unable to bring herself to look up at her best friend. The tension was already thick and filled the tiny space so quickly it was a bit hard to breath. Kakashi's t-shirt suddenly felt as if it were choking her and she pulled at the fabric around her neck with a small cough.

"Is it true?" She hated the tone of Ino's voice and knew it would be best just to come clean and be honest for once. But, she was feeling selfish about her love affair and didn't want to share it with anyone. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Is what true?"

"Don't play dumb. Is that Kakashi's shirt?"

Sakura looked up at her and pursed her lips, kicking herself for not being honest from the beginning. In hind sight, Ino could have definitely given her some good pointers and advice on how to seduce him. She could have helped knock his socks off the way Sakura had tried to in the library. But, keeping it a secret had been so...fun. It felt dangerous and sexy to sneak around. Would that feeling end now that she would have to tell the truth? She knew she was a horrible person for lying, but it was only to preserve this new and thrilling passion she had discovered. Glancing down at her lap, she nodded. "Yeah, it's his."

"So, you were with Kakashi last night?"

The silence stretched between them and Sakura swallowed, the words sticking like glue to her throat. She should have stayed at his place, should have crawled back into bed to wait for his return. They could be together right now, possibly without clothes on, but just being there would be worlds better than the tension she felt right now. It made the base of her skull ache. "Yes, I was with him."

"Are you sleeping with him?" Ino's voice was quiet but sounded loud in Sakura's head. She didn't know how to answer that. Technically, she hadn't slept with him yet. But, would everything else they had done fall under that category. She turned her gaze to the floral shower curtain hanging to her right. "No, I haven't slept with him."

"But, he's the one who you've been sneaking off with? The one you keep telling me doesn't really exist and that I'm just being paranoid, right?"

Shit.

She felt awful and deserved every bit of anger Ino had inside her. She had lied to her best friend for weeks, had lied right to her face and laughed at her, making her feel crazy. Sakura felt her throat constrict and she tried to drag in a shaking breath. "I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to tell you."

Ino shook her head disappointingly with a scoff as she backed toward the door. The tears pooling in her eyes made Sakura feel as if she had been stabbed in the chest. "You didn't even try." She turned and grabbed the door knob, her voice cracking around the words.

Sakura jumped up from the toilet and stopped her from opening the door, pleading with her eyes for her to stop. "I did try. It's just...complicated and hard to explain." Ino looked at her, eyelids rimmed with red as she struggled to keep the tears from spilling over. Sakura had never seen her so angry and she stepped back, letting her pull the door open.

"I have never lied to you, Sakura. Ever. But, maybe if I had, you would know how much it hurts when your best friend lies to your face." She slammed the bathroom door shut in Sakura's face, leaving the kunoichi stunned and feeling as if she had been slapped in the face. She would have preferred it if she had been. It was only a few seconds later that she heard the front door open and slam shut, making the pictures on the walls tremble from the force. Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat but it refused to disappear and her eyes began to burn from the tears that threatened to spill. And for the first time, the thought of her secret love affair left a bad taste in her mouth.

* * *

 

AN- Short chapter but it was rather difficult to write. Thank you to everyone for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks! They mean the world to me! :D

 


	13. One Week

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It had been a week since Sakura had shut herself in Shikamaru's bathroom, hiding from the wrath of her best friend. Seven days since she had seen Kakashi, had woken from his bed and had kissed him in the middle of his kitchen and she was definitely feeling the withdrawals. But, so much had happened that it felt wrong to fall back so easily into the happiness he gave her. She didn't deserve it and for the past week had sullenly kept herself busy with two tasks; work and avoiding Ino.

 

Living under the same roof as the person who glared daggers at you whenever you came home was something Sakura had never imagined she would have to do. It was bad enough that she was constantly feeling sorry for herself but, to have Ino look at her with the same amount of hurt and disappointment that she had a week ago stung deep. Sakura had managed to avoid her wrath for the most part, keeping to her bedroom and only sneaking out to shower or hurry off to work. 

 

There were no detours to the other side after work, no matter how badly Sakura wanted to take a left outside the hospital doors and rush to Kakashi's front door. She had stayed away, mostly to punish herself. It felt wrong to jump back into his arms after lying so much to Ino. She didn't deserve the happiness.

 

Sakura rolled her eyes at herself and crossed her arms over her chest as she made her way home from the hospital after a grueling nine hour shift. She had been elbow deep in the sickness and muck that came with being a medic in the busy hospital and she shouldn't be denying herself a little relaxation after such a long day. Her body was practically crying for a release to all the tension and stress and self loathing that had been swirling through her for the past week. It had all settled at the base of her skull in a headache that hadn't let up in three days. She had a feeling the only remedy was Kakashi...mostly his hands...or his mouth.

 

With a groan, she kicked a rock across the street and leaned a shoulder against a street lamp that flickered to life in the dim evening light. It wasn't fair. Just once, she wanted her cake and to eat it too. Why was it such a big deal that she wanted a secret affair with someone? She was a grown woman with needs and desires. Was it a crime that she finally get something she wanted? 

 

Was Ino jealous?

 

She had always been the popular one with the men, could talk and flirt flawlessly with a crowd of boys without stumbling or stuttering over a word. Meanwhile, Sakura's abilities had came to an abrupt halt as soon as she had puked on some poor guy's face. Her lessons with Kakashi had given her enough confidence that she didn't think she would ever be doing that again...Was Ino jealous that she had found something like this, while the blonde still sought attention from the boys in the bars and clubs?

 

Sakura felt horrible for even thinking it. She knew why Ino was still mad and it had nothing to do with jealousy. She was waiting for an apology and with each day that passed that Sakura still couldn't bring herself to utter those two words, her hurt turned to fury. But, why should Sakura apologize for something she didn't regret? Lying to her best friend had never been her intention and she did feel horrible about it, but it had been necessary. There was no way she could have kept this thing going if Ino had known about it. 

 

The secrecy was half the reason she kept going back to Kakashi. It was odd but, it felt good to have something all to herself, something she could keep hidden and be completely selfish with. 

 

She pushed off the lamp post and glanced behind her to the street that wound to the east and toward Kakashi's part of town. A few people were milling about but none paid her much attention. It would take her maybe ten minutes to walk to his door. Ten minutes and she could be in his arms after a week of feeling so empty without him. She longed for the relief from this punishment she was giving herself. Her feet moved on their own, taking a few steps in the opposite direction that she had been going in and her heart fluttered at the anticipation of seeing him again. 

 

But, she stopped herself and sighed heavily, shoulders drooping in her white medic coat. She lowered her head and decided to rough it out one more day. She hadn't eaten since noon and her stomach was craving some good ramen right about now. Her head filled with so many fantasies of what she could be having with Kakashi right now that it made her dizzy. They had been so close to becoming reality but she couldn't do it. Not yet. Not until she apologized to Ino for being a bad friend. And until then, she would enjoy her little fantasies inside her head.

 

She was so engrossed in the mental image of laying beneath him on his couch as he kissed his way down her body that she nearly collided with someone a block away from Ichiraku. Their shoulder hit hers and she spun, reaching out to steady herself against a street sign. Sakura whirled around, ready to shout at whoever it was to watch what they were doing and was quickly silenced. She blinked up at a familiar face but, definitely not one she expected to see. 

 

It was the same guy from the party, the one who had tried to kiss her and had made her a horrendously strong drink. Jin...She remembered him all too well and by the way his eyes brightened at the sight of her, she could tell he recognized her as well. "Sakura! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump you."

 

"It's...fine." She didn't think he would still be in Konoha and wondered if he was going to be hanging around for a while. Her stomach twisted at the memory of his hands on her hips and though she had been drunk, she remembered how it had made her feel. Even now, sober and a week later, his nearness made her want to run straight to Kakashi. Not because Jin was a threat. No, she was sure she could send him through a brick wall. Mostly it was because he reminded her of what she might have if she had never had Kakashi. He seemed so...inferior. 

 

Sakura scowled at herself and blinked, realizing how much of a snob she was being and the fact that he had said something to her and she hadn't paid a bit of attention to him. "I'm sorry, what?"

 

Jin laughed and nodded to the three other guys waiting for him a few steps ahead. He waved to them to go on and turned back to smile down to her. Sakura raised an eyebrow at his presumptuousness. The way she had ran away from him at Choji's party, she figured he would want nothing else to do with her. "I said, I'm glad to see you're okay. You ran off so fast the other night, we didn't really get a chance to get to know each other."

 

She wanted to say there was a good reason for that but forced a laugh instead. "Yeah, I..." What could she say? 'I realized I'd rather kiss someone better than you'? 

 

"It's fine. I probably came on too strong, so I apologize for that." Jin rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile and Sakura felt herself relax. At least he knew how to apologize. It was more than she could say for herself. 

 

"It's fine. You don't have to apologize. I'm sorry for being so weird. Uh, I was actually on my way to get some food..." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of Ichiraku and took a step off the curb, not exactly sure how to end their awkward conversation. Her lessons with Kakashi had skipped right over awkwardness like this. She felt her cheeks flush at the thought and couldn't help the small smile that tugged the corner of her lips. 

 

"Oh! I'm actually starving. Mind if I tag along?"

 

Yes. "S-sure." She felt as if she had been thrown for a loop and turned toward the ramen shop with a dazed look around. How had she gone from being on the verge of running to Kakashi's apartment, to having dinner with a guy she was in no way interested in? It was the kind of thing she would love to tell Ino but she realized with a twist to her gut that she couldn't. Maybe if she just pretended like the whole thing didn't ever happen, Ino would realize how silly it all is and forget about it. Even Sakura wasn't naive enough to believe that. 

 

Jin held back the canvas flap for Sakura to duck under and she smiled in thanks, grateful that no one she knew was sitting in the little shop. A girl who looked to be sixteen and new to work smiled sweetly to them as she snatched a notepad and pencil from the register. "Welcome to Ichiraku where great ramen is only a bowl away!" She cheerily called the rehearsed line with a smile and Sakura looked up at the vast menu above their heads.

 

It was hard to decide on what to eat when she was worried about what to even say to the man beside her. Did he think this was a date? Would he try to kiss her again? She could just imagine throwing the ramen up on his lap if he tried to make a move on her and she swallowed hard. He ordered quickly and looked expectedly at her. "Uhm, a bowl of Miso, please." The girl nodded and scribbled their order down on her notepad before turning toward the kitchen. Sakura panicked and felt herself lean over the counter to shout. "To go, please!"

 

Jin chuckled as he slid on the stool at the counter and Sakura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Now that she was sober, she could see he was cuter than she remembered. His face was tan from the desert sun and it made his brown eyes seem warm and inviting as he smiled. With a deep breath, she lowered herself into the stool, making sure to keep one between them. 

 

"I'm not going to bite, you know." He said with a smile before nodding toward the register. "And, I'm buying. Only to make up for the way I acted the other night. It wasn't very gentlemanly of me." He gave her a wink and all Sakura could think of was the night Kakashi had taken her to dinner. It had been eerily similar to tonight and she couldn't help the feel of deja vu at the memory of her telling him not to be a gentleman to her. Her skin prickled all over her body and she felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. 

 

Shoulders tense, Sakura whirled around just as the canvas curtain pulled back and her entire body seemed to cry out. Kakashi smiled at her, though she knew she was the only one who could see it beneath his mask and she had to grip the leather stool beneath her to keep herself from running into his arms. If he noticed Jin, he didn't show it, keeping his eyes focused only on her. She hoped she wasn't floating, though she felt she was. "Sakura." Kakashi said as he stepped to her, pushing his hands in his pockets. 

 

Now he glanced to Jin at her right. A quick look, bored and uninterested, before he positioned himself between the two of them, blocking Sakura from even looking at Jin. "Hi." She breathed, wishing she could reach up to touch his face. Her fingers twitched at her sides and she prayed to any deity above that he didn't think she was on a date. She hoped he knew she was his and no one else's. 

 

"I was actually hoping I'd run into you, tonight." 

 

"You were?" 

 

"Mm." He nodded toward Jin. "Mind if I steal you away for a second? I need to show you something." 

 

Her heart raced suddenly and she squeezed her thighs tightly together. She barely remembered she hadn't been alone before as she slipped off the stool to follow him outside. "I'll be right back." She called over her shoulder to the frowning Suna shinobi, oblivious to his sudden disappointment. 

 

Outside, the night air did little to cool the heat that settled under her skin and she wished she had left her medic coat in her locker. She had been much too preoccupied with her never ending fantasies of being with Kakashi and it thrilled her to be so close to him. A week was just far too long to go without him. She watched him turn the corner outside the shop, hands deep in his pockets and aloof as if he didn't know exactly how she was reacting to him. Every fiber in her being was calling to him.

 

The darkness of the alley he lead her to enveloped her and she could only sigh as he stopped and turned to her. He made no move but the tension between them was palpable. She could already taste him on her lips and her scalp tingled at the thought of his fingers in her hair. "Did you want to show me something?" Her words were barely a whisper and she found it hard to even form them on her tongue. 

 

Kakashi closed the distance between them in a flash and Sakura barely had a second to gasp before his mouth pressed into hers. She felt the brick of the building at her back and the cool touch of his hands against her sides beneath her top and she felt dizzy. He kissed her with such a ferocity that she had never felt before, like he was claiming her as his and it made her want to tear his clothes off right there in the alley behind Ichiraku. Her hands moved over him, not touching enough of him at once and she wished she had just went to his apartment like she had wanted to. They could be in his bed right now, possibly naked, instead of in this back alley. 

 

The bell on the counter of Ichiraku dinged and echoed around them and Sakura felt her body tense, fearing someone might walk around the corner and see them. Kakashi senses her hesitation but didn't back away just yet. He kissed her softly and rest his forehead against hers, his breath quick and hot against her face. She cursed that stupid bell and mourned the fact that she wouldn't be getting the release she was so desperate for. Sakura hung her head.

 

"When can I see you again?" She asked, looking up into his face as he slipped his mask back into place. He sighed as he glanced toward the street. 

 

"Anytime you want. I'm all your's." He said quietly. He kissed her forehead through the fabric of his mask and Sakura felt her cheeks turn pink and the feeling of a thousand butterflies fluttering wildly inside her. She watched him turn and make his way back out into the light of the street and she touched her fingers to her lips, hoping they weren't too swollen to give her away. A thousand questions filled her head as she hurried back into the ramen shop. How had he even found her? Had he been following her? The thought both thrilled her and made chills roll down her spine. 

 

Stalking definitely didn't feel like his style and she worried he had seen her walking with Jin and assumed she was on a date. Had he wanted to assert his dominance and show him up? She couldn't help giggle at the idea of Kakashi being so animalistic toward her and she smoothed her hair down before making her way back inside the shop. Their food was sitting on the counter, steaming in a bowl and not boxed up for her to take home like she had requested. 

 

"Everything okay?" Jin asked as she slid back onto her stool.

 

"Mmhmm." She grabbed her spoon, her stomach growling loudly at the smell of the ramen. "This smells delicious!" She thought it was best to ignore the confusion on his face and pretend she hadn't just made out with a masked man behind the ramen shop. 

 

* * *

 

 

Kakashi stared over the top of the worn out spine of Icha-Icha Tactics. A flash of pink twenty yards ahead had momentarily pulled his attention away from his favorite characters and the sight of Sakura stopped him dead in his tracks. Even from this far away, his body reacted to her and he felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. She had her medic uniform on which did little to accentuate her curves but to him, she looked beautiful. He sucked in a tiny gasp as Sakura whirled around to face the man who had bumped into her, her eyes narrowed, full of anger. The flash of fury across her face did things to Kakashi he hadn't felt in a long time and he had to gulp down the urge to groan.

 

But, whatever she had been intending to say faltered and she blinked up at the man, making Kakashi glance over at him as well. He wasn't a man. He barely looked twenty years old but, the way he was smiling down at Sakura made Kakashi's jaw clench. The kid was looking at her like she was a piece of meat as she shrugged and looked down the street toward Ichiraku. Wait...Was she inviting him to eat with her? 

 

Jealousy surged like a lightning bolt through Kakashi's body and he took a step closer without even realizing it. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't like how angry he had suddenly become at another man being so close to her but she was a grown woman. They had never defined what they were, though Kakashi had tried to drop as many hints to her as he possibly could, and she was free to eat dinner with anyone she liked.

 

But, he couldn't help feeling envious and as they turned and made their way to the opposite side of the street, all common sense left Kakashi's head. He followed them, keeping his nose stuck in the bright orange book while his eyes never left the back of that kid's head. If his hand so much as moved an inch toward her, Kakashi would kindly put it back where it belonged. 

 

No. He couldn't be like that. Sakura was more than capable of putting him in his place if he tried to get fresh...unless she wanted him to make a move. But, the space she kept between them gave Kakashi the impression that she wasn't very interested in this kid. Each smile she gave him was nervous and forced, as if she couldn't find words polite enough to tell him to back off and she kept her arms folded tight over her chest. They passed under the awning of Ichiraku and Kakashi slowed to a stop, slipping his book into his back pocket as he tried to remember something Sakura had said to him. 

 

She had mentioned that someone had tried to kiss her at Choji's birthday party. Could it be this guy? Kakashi certainly didn't recognize him, and he was sure that no one who truly knew what Sakura was capable of would risk trying to kiss her without her permission. He couldn't fault the kid for becoming smitten with her. Kakashi knew all too well how easily it was to become ensnared by her. Just thinking about her made his heart beat twice as fast and now was no different. 

 

He was taken aback by how badly he wanted her in that moment and not just physically. He  _ missed _ her after being away from her for a week. With a sigh, he rubbed his palm across his eyes and turned on his heel to head back home. She didn't need a stalker and he knew she could take care of herself. 

 

But, something stopped him.

 

Kakashi turned back toward Ichiraku and his feet quickly carried him inside the ramen shop. It was warm and bright, though he was sure that was mostly due to her being in his presence and he felt drawn to her instantly. She settled into the stool, keeping one between her and the guy who smirked and attempted to flirt with her. And when she turned her bright eyes to him, Kakashi couldn't help notice how her fingers gripped the seat beneath her tightly and her legs untangled as if she were on the verge of leaping into his arms. God, he had never wanted someone this badly before. His fingers trembled in his pockets as he moved closer, putting himself between the kid and her. 

 

It was hard keeping himself composed and he didn't know how he found the strength to speak, but it wasn't long before he was leading her back outside into the fading light of the day. The street lamps were glowing brightly which was the opposite of what Kakashi wanted in that moment. He glanced toward the alley at his left and glanced over his shoulder, his heart thundering in his chest as he watched Sakura follow him into the darkness. 

 

Even in the shadows, she was radiant and he swallowed hard, unable to recall ever feeling this way toward another person. Sakura looked up at him through her eyelashes and he felt the heat of her stare scorch through every corner of his soul. "Did you want to show me something?" Her voice was quiet and trembled over the last word. It was too much to take. He was losing control.

 

She sucked in a breath as he closed the space between them and pushed her against the brick wall hard enough that he was sure they could hear it inside. With one hand he wrenched the mask down his face while he pulled her tight against his body with the other. Her lips were as soft as he remembered and he promised himself to never let a week go by without tasting them again.  He knew he was being a bit rough, kissing her hard as if he'd never get to again but, he couldn't stop himself. He wanted to pick her up and do things to her that he had been dreaming about for the past week...or longer, if he wanted to be honest with himself.

 

From inside the shop, the bell chimed loudly and Sakura tensed in his arms. Fuck. He had forgotten all about the kid inside and the fact that she was waiting on her dinner but doubted that he would have been able to stop himself if something else hadn't. He sighed, wondering if she would just skip out on the ramen and come back to his place instead. He was being selfish and knew if she did come home with him, then it could be hours before she would be able to eat. 

 

"When can I see you again?" Her question made his stomach twist in knots and he hid a smile behind the mask he slid back into place over his nose. He wondered if she had missed him too. 

 

"Anytime you want. I'm all your's." Kakashi leaned down to kiss her forehead and knew if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to resist picking her up and rushing her back to his apartment. He was already a stalker, he didn't need to add being a kidnapper to it. The blush across her cheeks made him want to kiss her all over again and he forced himself to turn away, despite how much his body was begging for him to stay. 

 

The sounds of the village did little to distract him on his walk home and he made no move to reach for the book in his back pocket knowing he would only be able to see her face in his mind. When had he let himself become so consumed by her? Had it been happening all this time, like a slow burn through his heart? He tried to think back through their time together, from the stormy night in the gym, to their kiss in the alley moments ago. There was nothing that stood out to him, no flashing sign that told him it was one particular moment. It was all of them. 

 

He had been so sure they could do this as friends. But, he didn't want friendship from her anymore. He wanted so much more that it frightened him.

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	14. Ache

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As soon as Sakura walked into the front door, she could feel the tension lying thick in the apartment. The only light on was in Ino's room and by the sound of it, she was either rearranging her room, or throwing things everywhere. Sakura felt herself swallow hard, regretting eating the entire bowl of Ramen that Jin had bought her just a little while ago. She wasn't like Naruto who could devour three bowls in one sitting and still have room for dessert. She had managed to eat nearly all of her free dinner, just to not be rude in front of Jin.

Now, the miserable feeling in her stomach was making her wish she had just ignored him in the street when he had bumped her shoulder. Then again, Kakashi might not have decided to intervene if she hadn't stopped and brought Jin along. She dropped her coat to the back of a chair and pursed her lips, the memory of his lips on hers still so fresh in her mind. It made her stomach flutter at the thought and she pressed a hand to her belly to calm herself down.

From the hallway, Ino grunted and something heavy fell to the floor, knocking Sakura from the delicious memory of Kakashi stealing her away for a kiss. Though she really did not want to face her roommate right now with the possibility of her ruining the night she had, she knew she had to talk to her. It was time for her to force out an apology, just so the dust between them could settle finally. Squaring her shoulders, Sakura took a deep breath and made her way down the hallway, rehearsing what she would say the entire way.

She could just say she was sorry, blurt it out and get it over with like ripping a bandaid off but the sight of a duffle bag on the bedroom floor stuffed so full the zipper looked as if it were close to popping made her stop short. She stared at the bulging bag for a second before moving to look up at her roommate. Was she leaving? Was she really moving out over this? It seemed so silly!

Sakura pointed a finger to the black bag on the floor in front of Ino's bed. "What's this?"

The blonde turned to her and sighed, her shoulders shrugging. "It's a duffle bag." She replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead crossed her arms over her chest, shifting on her feet.

"I know that. Where are you going?"

"I took a mission." Ino turned back to her dresser and began rummaging through one of the drawers. The air between them was thick and Sakura felt as if she were watching her move through a thick fog. How could it have all turned to this? One tiny, meaningless white lie and all of a sudden, the world was crashing down around her. She wanted to feel sad that she was the reason for all of this, but only felt anger at the situation instead.

She raked a hand through her hair and watched her best friend pretend to be searching for something while it was clear she was blatantly ignoring Sakura. This only fueled the anger coursing through her and she felt as if a bomb had been dropped in her head. "God, I'm sorry! Okay? I'm sorry I lied to you and I'm sorry you had to find out from Naruto of all people. But, can you at least try to see this from my point of view? Did you ever think that maybe there was a good reason I had to lie?"

Ino said nothing as she turned to the bag on the floor, picked it up and slung it over her shoulder. She was an expert at giving the cold shoulder but Sakura never thought she would be on the receiving end of it like this. She scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. Why was this such a big deal? "There's a good reason to lie to someone you call your best friend?" Ino muttered quietly beneath her breath but it was heard. The bitterness in her tone cut through Sakura like a knife and she turned to leave, wanting nothing more than to slam her bedroom door as hard as she could without breaking it off the hinges. But, she stopped.

"There is a good reason actually but, if you won't talk to me, I can't tell you."

"Then what is it? I'm listening now. Why did you lie to me of all people, Sakura? Even Hinata knew! What was the good reason you have that you couldn't tell me?" Ino threw her hands up in defeat, the corners of her eyes glistening with tears. She was still clearly hurt but so was Sakura. She couldn't and wouldn't keep carrying this blame around on her, keeping her from concentrating on work, from seeing Kakashi.

Her own eyes burned hot from the tears that threatened but she blinked them back. "Because, I..." She snapped her mouth shut and darted her eyes to the floor, unable to say the words that she had been feeling for a while now. What was the point in saying it? It would only bring up more questions, more confusion and Sakura wasn't ready to hear herself say it just yet. With a shake of her head, she turned and made her way into the hallway, her throat tight and eyes burning. This time, she couldn't blink the tears away. One slipped past her eyelashes and slid down her cheek.

She quickly swiped it away and made her way into her bedroom, not even bothering with the light before collapsing on her bed. She hugged her pillow to her chest and buried her face into the soft material, hoping it would muffle the sound of her crying. It was like a dam had broke in her heart and there was no stopping the flood of tears now. She could hear Ino shuffling around in her room still and tried to keep her sobs as silent as possible, wanting nothing more in that moment than to be alone.

It was only a few minutes later when she could hear the footsteps outside her bedroom but, she didn't roll over or move an inch at all. Ino hesitated and sniffed before speaking. "I'm heading out. I'll be back in two weeks."

Sakura sat up and blinked up at her in the doorway. "Two weeks? You need to leave for two weeks because of this?"

"It's not because of this but, I do need to get away for a while. We'll talk when I get back. I promise." Her words were soft now and didn't sound as bitter as they had just moments earlier. Sakura felt her shoulders relax and she nodded, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. She wanted to say something else, tell her she loved her or to be careful, but her voice stayed silent and she sat and watched Ino walk out of sight. The sound of the front door opening and shutting softly echoed through the empty apartment.

Sakura took a deep breath and glanced around her darkened room, hating the idea of being alone but too exhausted to even do something about it. She knew if she called Kakashi to come over, he would...but, she doubted he wanted to sit and listen while she cried over her best friend leaving for two weeks. Her heart cried out in protest as she laid back on her bed and decided not to call him.

She hated what was going on between her and Ino but the longer she sat in the darkness, thinking things over, two weeks free from worrying about it and walking on eggshells around each other was beginning to sound nice. Maybe this would be good for them and it would give Ino time to get over it. Which meant...Sakura would have fourteen days to herself, no sneaking around, no tiptoeing in late at night, no one to question her about what she had been doing or who she had been seeing. She could be naked in her own apartment. She could call Kakashi to come over and surprise him by answering the door wearing nothing but a smile.

Then again, her neighbors might not appreciate that very much.

A smile stretched across her lips at the thought and she scrubbed the last bit of tears from the corner of her eyes. Maybe a little lesson or two with her sensei was exactly what she needed after an entire week of cravings and withdrawals.

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It was raining when Sakura woke up the next morning. The sky was a dark gray and though the alarm clock on the table beside her bed read 8:45, she knew she would be able to sleep for another two hours if she allowed herself. Luckily, she had the next three days off from work. She had been worried about how she would spend the next few days being inside with Ino, tip-toeing around and avoiding an argument, but the blonde had taken care of that the night before. Their argument had left a bitter taste in Sakura’s mouth that still lingered hours later. At least now, she could enjoy the solitude and silence she would have, even if she didn't like the thought of spending the nights alone.

Rolling onto her back, Sakura put her hands above her head and stared up at the slowly revolving fan on her ceiling. She knew the next two weeks would be good for their friendship, would be exactly what they needed to put this behind them but it still bothered her. The thought of Ino still being upset with her while not even around to talk to made Sakura’s stomach ache. She should have properly apologized. She should never have let her leave without saying that she was truly sorry. But, like everything, Sakura had to overthink and make the wrong choice. Sure, she had apologized but it was half-assed and Ino saw right through it.

Thunder rumbled low overhead as the rain picked up, pelting the window pane with such force that Sakura wondered if the glass would crack. The gloomy day definitely fit her mood and she groaned into her hands as she scrubbed the sleep from her eyes. Laying around feeling sorry for herself was the last thing she wanted to do. She had been neglecting her laundry for the last two weeks and the ever growing pile on her floor was only going to get bigger the more she procrastinated. Another roll of thunder made her breath a heavy sigh before peeling herself from her bed, planting her feet into the thick shag carpet of her rug. She glanced back at the pillows and sheets behind her and bit her lip, wondering how it would feel to wake up next to Kakashi again. Would he wrap a hand around her wrist and pull her back to him? Would he push her into the pillows, laying over her as he kissed his way down her neck?

Sakura shivered and put a hand to the empty space on her bed, closing her eyes to the thought of being next to his body, feeling his hands across her hips and kiss across her mouth. God, the way he had kissed her last night was almost enough to drive her mad. To have him do it to her now, in her bed, with the rain and thunder outside...she knew she wouldn't be able to keep herself from going mad with desire. Even just the thought made her head swim and the butterflies in her stomach go crazy with anticipation.

She felt herself lay back against her pillows, biting gently on her bottom lip as she imagined him with her now, holding her arms above her head. She had never liked the thought of letting someone else be in control, but she would let him. He could ask her to do whatever he wanted and she wouldn't think twice about doing it. She held her breath in her chest as she slid her hand down her hip and over the inside of her thigh, wishing her fingers felt half as good as his did on her skin. Sakura pulled her knees apart and slipped a finger beneath the fabric of her panties. It had been a while since she had felt the release from all the tension and though she liked to wait and save it for when Kakashi was with her, the ache between her legs was almost unbearable. She just needed something quick to ease the pressure.

It wasn't hard thinking of something to fantasize about. He had given her so many options since they had began their lessons, it was almost too hard to pick her favorite. The way he whispered her name against her ear, the feel of his lips against her throat and his tongue tasting the most hidden parts of her body...she gasped as she touched a finger to her clit and her nipples responded instantly to the sensation. She hadn't realized how wet she had become just from thinking about him.

Beside her on her bedside table, her cellphone sprang to life and the screen lit up as it vibrated. Groaning in utter frustration, Sakura sat up on her elbows and snatched the phone from the table top, wincing at the brightness of the screen as she glanced at the name. It was Shizune and for a long moment, she made no move to answer the call. But, knowing her luck, it would be an emergency and there was no way she'd ever be able to go back to doing what she had been doing before. With a frown, she punched the answer button.

“Hello?” She snapped, hoping she sounded more sleepy than sexually frustrated.

“I know it's your day off and I wouldn't ask if it wasn't an emergency.”

Fuck. She had been looking forward to having a day off from screaming kids and pushy, impatient, insufferable people. Heaving a sigh, Sakura fell back onto her pillow.

“What time do you need me?”

“Only for a few hours. We just need some help giving physicals.”

Sakura sat up and blinked. Was the annual physicals scheduled for today? The kunoichi had done theirs the week before but the male shinobi were all scheduled to come in at a different time; apparently today. Did that mean Kakashi would be among them? Did he still get physicals? Sakura's face flushed brightly at the thought of being alone in an exam room with him, half naked, forced to do whatever she asked. She gulped at the tantalizing fantasy, making a mental note to keep that in the back of her mind for later use.

“Sakura?”

“Yeah, I'm here.”

“I only need someone to check everyone in and make sure they follow instruction. You won't have to actually do any exams.” Well, there goes that fantasy. But, it would be nice to maybe see him, if only just to tell him where to go and which doctor to see. She quickly told Shizune she would be there as soon as she could get ready and hung up before the woman could even respond. Sakura raced to the mirror and balked at her reflection. Yesterday’s makeup was smeared under her eyes and her hair looked as if it hadn't known a comb in ages.

She cleaned her face off with a makeup remover wipe as she grabbed the only pair of leggings she could find that were halfway decent smelling. Hopefully with a spray of perfume no one would notice that they hadn't been washed. As she pulled on an appropriate tunic, she gave a last glance to her reflection noting that she looked as if she had just rolled out of bed and made a promise to do her laundry after her shift ended. Throwing her hair into a ponytail, Sakura grabbed an umbrella from beside the front door and hurried out into the morning storm.

The rain had slacked and only fell in a drizzle that seemed to stick to every part of her despite the umbrella she held close to her head. By the time she made her way into the clinic beside the hospital, her feet were freezing from the rain and her hair was hanging flat from her ponytail. There was no hope for her appearance today and she found herself suddenly hoping Kakashi had been early and had left before she had even gotten there. She didn't want to scare him away with her resemblance of a drowned rat. Of course it was absurd to hope for him to be early to anything...except their meeting at the hot springs.

A blush flared across her cheeks and she quickly put her umbrella behind the front desk before making her way toward the exam room. Shizune stood by the doors, waiting for her with an arm full of charts and a clipboard. “I really am sorry to have to ask you to come in. Mei called in with the stomach virus and there was just no one else left available.”

Sakura took the armful of charts from her and smiled, glancing down at the list of names that had already been crossed out. None of them were Kakashi and she couldn't help the flutter of excitement at seeing his name across the bottom of the list. “It's fine.” She breathed with a shake of her head. “I was just going to do laundry all day, so this might be a bit more fun.”

Shizune thanked her once again before hurrying off to help prep the exam rooms for those that decided to show up. Physicals weren't necessarily mandatory, but a nin wouldn't be the top pick for missions without an up to date exam. Which only meant that the possibility to see Kakashi was getting smaller and smaller. She had only helped with physicals once in the beginning of her training and couldn't for the life of her recall ever seeing him for an annual before. Then again, she hadn't been looking for him or paying him that much attention anyhow.

The day crept by and with every passing hour that she didn't see a familiar masked face come in the door, the more her hopes came crashing down around her. She was still wound tight from not being able to finish what she had started that morning and each time the front doors opened, she jumped to her feet to see if it was him. A rather young ninja exited the exam room, dropped the physician’s note on her desk and swiftly made his way back out into the gloomy afternoon. Sakura marked a line through his name with a frown and pulled his medical chart from the stack. She scribbled in the date under the annual physical tab and placed his note in its proper place before slapping the chart closed.

As she tossed the chart onto the stack to her left, she caught sight of someone standing before the front desk, shoulder leaning lazily against the wall as he raked his fingers through his damp, silver hair. Sakura's heart skipped several beats and she couldn't help the smile that stretched across her lips as she moved her gaze up to his face. All the stress and tension that had become so knotted up inside her released and she was left with only the aching, consuming desire she had been trying to ease that morning. She breathed a small sigh as her eyes caught his. He looked so good, standing their with a smirk beneath his mask, and a hint of mischief behind his eyes. She could almost feel the fire that burned between them as he stared at her and she bit her lip hard. “Hey.” He said as he made his way to the counter, leaning an elbow onto it.

She smiled and tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, not quite able to find any words to say now that he was actually standing in front of her. The fantasies she had been imagining all day flooded back into her head and all she could think about was pushing him into an empty exam room to give him a physical of her own. She swallowed hard and glanced down at the list of names on the clipboard in front of her. “Are you here for your annual?”

Kakashi scoffed and shook his head. “No. I think I'm in pretty good shape, wouldn't you say?”

God, the look in his eyes made her entire body flush hot and she resisted the urge to fan herself with the clipboard. If he wasn't there for the physical, did that mean he came to see her? The thought made her heart race and her stomach fluttered wildly and she had to sit on her hands to keep her fingers from shaking. ‘ _Act cool, Sakura._ ’ She thought to herself. ‘ _He's here for the physical, he's just flirting with you_.’

“Everyone needs an exam. Hokage’s orders.” She smiled smugly up at him and swung her feet beneath her chair as if she were a giggling pre-teen again. Kakashi glanced back at the exam rooms before tapping his chin with a finger.

“Well, if it's the Hokage’s orders...does this mean you'll be the one giving it to me? Because I can't promise you I'll be able to keep my hands to myself.”

Fucking hell. What was he trying to do to her? He had to know how she felt about his voice and how god damn sexy she found it when he was saying things like that to her. She nearly fell out of her chair, mostly because she was trying to keep herself from leaping over the counter to jump into his arms. She opened her mouth, not exactly sure how to even respond when all she could think of was pushing him down on an exam table and climbing on top of him but was cut off by the physician poking his head back out the door. “Ah, Kakashi. Come on back.”

Neither Sakura nor Kakashi glanced his way and she felt trapped in his gaze, powerless to look away as he stared hungrily down at her. She felt a bead of sweat roll down her spine and she could only watch as his eyes flickered down to her lips before he gave a wink and made his way down the hall. Sakura was frozen to her spot and watched him with her breath held until he slipped inside the exam room and the door shut behind him. If she thought the burning ache inside her was bad that morning, she had no idea what it could become. She bit her lip and held back a moan as she pressed her thighs tightly together. Was it even possible to want someone as badly as she wanted him? It was starting to scare her how much he was consuming her every thought and need and want. She almost needed him as much as she needed to breath.

Swallowing hard, Sakura grabbed a piece of scrap paper from the printer behind her and scribbled a note to him before crumpling it up and throwing it away with a roll of her eyes. Notes were so childish. She needed something sexy. But, then again, it could be kind of sexy passing him a note when they were in public. Maybe he was beginning to rub off on her. The thrill of someone seeing made Sakura’s lips curl and she snatched another piece of paper. She made sure her handwriting wasn't complete chicken scratch this time and wrote his name as delicately as she could. ‘ _My house. 8 pm. I'll be alone.’_

She tapped her pen on the desk and frowned down at the words. They sounded more and more desperate as she read them over inside her head. But she was desperate for him. Was there any other way to convey how badly she needed him without sounding desperate? Ugh, she hated second guessing herself. What had she read in one of those magazines? Fake confidence until she could feel confident. Well, it was now or never.

The door to the exam room opened and she gasped, her fingers trembling as she folded the note and stood from the chair, sending it rolling back against the wall behind her. He made his way toward her and the entire time her head was screaming at her to throw the note away, that it was silly and stupid, while her body was begging for her to slip it into his pocket so he would come over and relieve her ache. Her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest by the time he made his way back to the counter. He held the physician’s note out to her as she held her own note out to him with a wink of her own. She turned as he took it from her grasp and busied herself with finding his chart among the stack as if she wasn't screaming internally. Her knees shook so hard she felt as if she would collapse into the floor.

“See you later, Sakura.” Kakashi said, and her name on his lips sounded so good it nearly made her knock the charts off the table. She glanced over her shoulder but he was already out the door and she wondered if he had read her note and was telling her he would see her that night or if he was just saying ‘bye’. Checking the clock, Sakura bit her lip. It was 5 hours before she told him to be there. Five more hours of waiting in agony and anticipation to see if he would even show up. The heat inside her body was becoming unbearable already, waiting hours seemed to be impossible without helping herself ease the tension herself.

No. She was definitely waiting for Kakashi this time.

Even if that meant spending the next few hours torturing herself with thoughts of what the night would bring for her.

 

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AN- This chapter will have a part 2 which should be up in a few days. It'll be all the smutty goodness we've been waiting for! 


	15. Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a glimpse into another kink Kakashi seems to be into ;)

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After Kakashi’s little visit, Sakura had been left alone with not much to do aside from think and freak out about what the night could bring. He hadn't even confirmed if he would be there, and the possibility of him not showing was absolute torture to her soul. But, he had looked at her with such strong desire in his eyes that she was still reeling from it. He obviously wanted her, a realization that made Sakura nearly drop the armful of charts she was carrying into the chart closet. She steadied herself and pushed the closet door open with her backside, frowning down at the mess someone had left.

She didn't usually work in the clinic outside the hospital as it was reserved for quick visits and check-Ups. She didn't mind helping them out every now and then, especially since she knew Shizune cared deeply for the clinic. But, the least the girls could do was keep the place clean. With a sigh, she bent down and picked up the fallen paperwork and straightened the boxes of closed charts before working to reshelve the ones she had been carrying. The last chart sat innocently enough on the floor by her knees but the name written across the top made her heartbeat flutter wildly in her chest.

She had looked in Kakashi's chart numerous times, not to be nosey but when he would be injured on a mission and would come to her for a bit of healing. Sakura smiled at the irony that it was her needing a bit of help from him now. Sure, she could give herself an orgasm but they were nothing like the experiences he gave her. He was...talented beyond her comprehension. It only made her more curious to know how he gained his talents. Did he use the same moves he used on her on other women? Did they sigh and moan and whisper his name in the dark like she did? Did he crave them just as badly as he seemed to crave her?

Sakura bit her lip and snapped his chart closed, not wanting to invade his privacy. It was no business of hers and besides, it's not like it would even hold the answers to the questions she had anyway. If she wanted to know so badly, she could always ask him. Though it's not quite what she had in mind for the night to come, she felt as if there were things they needed to discuss before she let this go too far. But, god, she wanted to take this so far beyond what she had intended in the beginning.

There was no denying it now. She was completely smitten with him and if she was going to admit that to anyone aside from herself, she wanted to know the answer to her questions first.

She stood from the chart closet floor and shut the door behind her, flicking the lights off in each room as she closed up for the night. As she glanced into the room the physician had escorted Kakashi to hours earlier, she couldn't help picture him lying back on the exam table as she played the role of concerned nurse to him. She wondered how he would feel about it, but knowing him, he would be thrilled at the idea of her playing up one of her fantasies for him. He had wanted to know what they were, after all, that night on the phone. She couldn't think of a single thing to tell him, but now she definitely had a good one. With a smirk, she turned the light off and snatched her purse from behind the circular reception desk before heading out.

Thick clouds hung low over the village, heavy with the threat of rain and Sakura hurried home to avoid the downpour. She quickly ran over the list of things she'd have to do before Kakashi arrived and decided to do something with the pile of laundry first of all. She gathered it up in her arms and shoved it all into the hamper, hoping the plastic rim would hold the massive amount of dirty clothes. Feeling confident that the sides wouldn't bust at the seams, she heaved it into Ino’s room and shut the door behind her. ‘ _Out of sight, out of mind_.’ She just hoped she would remember they were in there the next morning.

A quick shower later, she stood in front of her vanity mirror with her towel wrapped tight and secured around her chest. Her shoulders and cheeks were pink from the heated spray and she bit her lip at her reflection, wondering if this was what she looked like when he touched her and kissed her. She turned to the side and slipped her thigh out from under the towel, admiring the curve of her hips. Her fingers pulled at the cloth before she could think and the towel pooled around her ankles. She so rarely looked at herself naked, had always avoided herself in the bathroom before or after showers but now she wondered what he thought when he looked at her.

She stared at her thighs to the strip of pink between her hip bones and cupped her breast as she studied herself. Would she look different after she had sex? Would she even be able to tell at all? It seemed silly to think about. Of course nothing changed...but she already felt different, saw her own body as transformed from who she was that night in the gym, to now. She could touch a man without feeling ill, could kiss him and be naked with him.

No. Not just any man. _Kakashi_.

The thought of anyone else did give her that same nauseous feeling. But, with Kakashi it came easy. Mostly because, she was already his.

Sakura slid her hand down the curve of her side over her hips and between her legs, watching herself. Her lips parted with a gasp as she touched at the wetness between her thighs. The press of her finger against her clit made her eyes shut tight and she knew she would have to stop, though she definitely didn't want to. She pulled her hand away and gave the mirror one last glance before she turned to her dresser. There was no reason to fret over an outfit this time. She didn't care how she looked.

After pulling on a pair of shorts and the T-shirt he gave her to wear, Sakura made sure the living room and kitchen were straightened up and lit some candles. Her stomach growled and she realized she had barely anything to eat the whole day. Unfortunately the fridge was a sad state with only an apple withering away next to a milk carton that barely had an ounce left in it. Shit. Tomorrow would have to be grocery day. She grabbed a protein bar from the cabinet and ate quickly, trying not to glance at the clock every few minutes. It was already ten til 8 and her nerves were beginning to twist and knot inside her.

She tried to keep her mind on something other than the fact that her panties had already grown damp. How had it gotten this bad? It seemed like so little time had passed since she had stood on her tiptoes and kissed him through his mask. God, it had been so exhilarating. So forbidden.

And that night she had been so drunk off just a kiss with no idea of what would be coming her way. The burning ache inside her was growing by the second and she swore that if he wasn't there soon, he would get an earful from her about the importance of being punctual. She chewed her thumbnail and glanced at the digital clock above the oven. 8:13.

He was coming.

He had read the note, had told her he would see her later...he would be there.

But, what if he had other plans tonight? Surely, he would have called to tell her he wouldn't be able to come over. God, the suspense was torture on every fiber of her being.

The three knocks on her front door was quiet though they pounded like a drum in Sakura’s ears. Her fingers stilled on the page of the magazine she was thumbing through to try to distract her from going insane from nervousness. It hadn't worked and now he was here and she felt as if she couldn't breathe.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she twisted the lock, taking a deep, calming breath. She was almost as nervous as she had been the first time he had been to her house. Maybe more so now that she didn't actually know where to stop herself anymore. It had always been laid out so clearly for her. Work on kissing, then touching, then being naked in front of her. They were past that point and she didn't even care about “learning” anything new. But, she had to keep it up to see him. She had assured him that this was no strings attached, just something physical to help her. Would he end it if he knew her feelings now?

She swung the door open and held onto the doorknob for support as Kakashi lifted his head and smiled down at her. God, why was she never prepared for how sexy he was? The way he looked at her like she was the only person he wanted to see made her heart race inside her chest and she loved it. He glanced down at her shirt, which was actually _his_ shirt and the corner of his mask lifted in a smirk.

Kakashi stepped into her apartment and Sakura couldn't help inhaling his scent as he passed, her eyes closing as she let it sink down into her soul. She recognized it as the way he smelled the night she had went to his apartment so late and his hair had still been damp from his shower. Resisting the urge to grab him and take in more deep breaths, she shut the door, leaned back against it and looked up at him. He looked no different than he had earlier that day but it was a rare occasion when he didn't look absolutely delicious. Standing in her small living room, he seemed so much taller, as if he took up more space than she remembered and she had admit it was a bit intimidating.

It felt so different than the last time that he had come over, bringing her dinner and kissing her in her kitchen. She felt different. Kakashi laughed softly and pushed a hand through his hair. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

Sakura shook her head, unable to even form a coherent response. She was terrified that if she opened her mouth, she might say something she didn't think he was ready to hear. Kakashi raised an eyebrow as she bit her lip. “Why are you so quiet?” He took a step toward her and Sakura sucked in a breath, her skin responding to his nearness. It was as if a tiny fire had been set all over her body and she closed her eyes as it tried to consume her.

“Just thinking.” She whispered as Kakashi brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek, brushing her hair over her shoulder. He closed in on her, their chests pressing against one another and Sakura wondered if he could feel how fast her heart was beating. She held her breath as he bent down and kissed across the flesh of her neck through his mask. “About what?” His breath on her earlobe made her shiver.

She blinked and bit her lip hard to keep herself from saying something stupid. It was best to save that for a time when she wasn't so desperate for what only he could give her. “Do you remember that night I called you?”

She felt him smile against her jaw as his fingers slipped beneath her shirt and around her side, burning a trail across her flesh wherever he touched. “You mean when you called me and hung up?”

She was going to ignore that question. “And I asked you what your fantasy was?” She spread her palm against his chest, clenching the material of his shirt in her fist. He kissed along her jawbone, nudging her head to the side so he could nip and suck at her neck. It was making it so hard to concentrate and she closed her eyes.

“Yes, and I believe I gave you a very detailed answer.”

She definitely remembered _that_ and the way he had made her come with just his voice, something that she thought about often. He reached between them and tugged his mask down his chin and the feel of his lips across her throat made her nearly fall to the floor in a melted heap. He nipped softly at her neck and moved his hands up her ribs to caress the bottom of her breast with his thumb. A shudder ran through her and she let her head fall back against the door. “You distracted me with a very detailed answer but, I don't think that was your answer.”

Kakashi leaned back and looked down at her, his gaze curious and amused. Under his state, Sakura felt a bit insecure and reached to tuck her hair behind her ear, her cheeks growing pink as she realized his hand was still beneath her shirt. “Is that so?” He asked, moving his hands to push against the door on either side of her head. She moved her gaze to his chest, watching it rise and fall with each breath he took.

“You don't have to be delicate with me anymore.” She studied his face as she moved her eyes up to his. The dark, heady look across his face made her lick her suddenly dry lips. “I want to be a part of your fantasies.”

She reached out and took his hand, bringing it to her lips to kiss across his knuckles as she laced her fingers in his. Her heart beat out of control inside her and she didn't think she could stand it much longer. Her body was wound so tight, every little touch or kiss from him made her feel as if she were going to explode. Sakura took a step toward her bedroom, her knees like jello, barely keeping her upright as she moved. Kakashi pulled his hand back suddenly, pulling her tight against his chest.

He tangled his fingers in her hair, eyes searching deep within hers. “Sakura.” She closed her eyes, loving the sound of her voice on his lips. “ _You_ are my fantasy.”

He kissed her suddenly, taking her breath away. Her feet left the carpet and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he lifted her into his arms. Sakura looped her arms around his neck and parted her lips to let his tongue slip in over hers. She didn't even realize he had been carrying her to her bedroom until she was falling away from him and landing with a bounce across her bed. Even in the darkness, she could see the desire burning behind his stare.

She laid back on her elbows and watched him pull his shirt slowly over his head, throwing it to the floor where her pile of dirty laundry had been hours ago. She hid a giggle behind her hand but Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “What's so funny?” He asked as he put a knee on the mattress and hooked his fingers beneath her legs, pulling them on either side of his hips.

“Nothing.” She smiles innocently.

“You know I have ways to make you talk.” He threatened with a menacing, playful glare that made her tremble with anticipation. She licked her lips, reaching to touch the faint scars that decorated his chest. Kakashi pulled away from her fingers and smirked darkly. “Roll over.” He commanded and Sakura felt a shot of excitement jolt through her like electricity. She did as she was instructed and gasped as Kakashi pulled at her hips until she was on her hands and knees on the bed.

He took his place behind her and she could feel his hands gently brush against the back of her thighs, making her swallow down a moan. Her body was begging for him and she could practically smell her own arousal between her legs. The sharp sting and sound of Kakashi's hand slapping against her ass made her suck in a deep, trembling breath and she slowly turned to look at him over her shoulder. He only stared back at her, his eyes dark and Sakura had trouble finding her breath.

His hand came back down on the other side of her ass and she arched her back, her fingers clenching the sheets tightly in her fists. She had never imagined she would find any sort of pleasure but the stinging pain across her backside made her even more wet than she had been before. “Do you believe me now?” His question echoed in her ears and she bit her lip hard, knowing if she gave in, he might stop and she wasn't quite ready for that. Maybe just once more.

Through her quivering breaths, Sakura turned to look back at him and smirked. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

A flash of desire passed over his face and Kakashi lifted her hips, his fingers slipping beneath the waistband of her shorts. He pulled them off of her legs and Sakura felt extremely vulnerable on her hands and knees in front of him in only her panties and a T-shirt. Her nipples hardened instantly and she felt both hot and cold chills across her body. Kakashi's hand was on her ass once more, this time moving in soothing circles over the tender area he had just created. His fingers slipped between her legs and Sakura couldn't help crying out as he brushed over the flesh of her sex.

He leaned down beside her, his lips so close to her ear that his breath made her shiver. “Are you ready?” He asked and she drew in a shaking breath, his fingers still moving over her, pressing hard where her clit was. She was close, even from barely being touched and her hands and knees started to shake. He took his hand away and Sakura whimpered. Kakashi spanked her again, this time a bit harder and without the extra padding from her shorts, she felt the sting immediately, followed by a wave of fiery pleasure all over her body. She couldn't take it anymore. The ache inside her was too much to ignore. She reached between her legs, her fingers barely managing to slip beneath her panties before Kakashi snatched her hand and spun her onto her back.

He held her arms over her head with one hand and put his weight on her. Sakura could feel his cock between her legs, pressing hard against his pants and she panted, raising her hips to thrust against him. She had never wanted him more in her life, had never wanted anyone or anything this badly. Kakashi pushed her hips back down onto the bed and leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. The contrast between his roughness and sweet kiss only drove Sakura closer to her breaking point and she tried once more to buck her hips up to him but he held her tight.

Her hands were freed as he reached to gather her shirt and pull it over her head. She sat up to let him and fell back against the pillows as he stared down at her body. His touch was soft and feather light as he moved from her neck, down to between her breasts and over her ribs. He purposefully kept his fingers away from her nipples, knowing it was exactly where she was begging for him to touch.

Sakura's ’s entire body trembled and she feared she wouldn't last much longer. He could breath on her right now and she would come. Sweat dotted her forehead and she whimpered, not too proud to beg him at the moment. She noticed him smirk as he glanced up at her. He pressed a kiss to the center of her chest and all along her breast, ignoring the sensitive buds that begged for his tongue. He moved lower and though she was enjoying the feel of his hard cock between her legs, definitely wanted him to keep kissing his way down her body. He nipped at her hip bones as his fingers pulled at the cotton panties, slow and teasing. Sakura pushed her head back into the pillows, feeling as if she were on the verge of tears.

“Kakashi…” she whispered breathlessly.

He lifted his head. “Oh, I'm sorry, do you want me to stop?”

“ _Fuck, no!_ ”

“Then hush.” He murmured against the flesh of her hips. She collapsed back into the pillows, thankful that he was at least picking up his speed. He peeled her panties from her legs before taking one of her legs and draping it over her shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the flesh above her carefully trimmed strip of pink hair before his tongue found the sweet spot she had been waiting for.

Her back arched completely off the bed as he slowly licked between her lips. She pushed her hands into his hair and held him still for just a moment, her body so tense that she almost couldn't take it. After catching her breath, she relaxed and leaned back on her elbows, letting her head fall back. He drew circles around her clif with the tip of his tongue and Sakura pinched her nipples between her fingers, her entire body filling with pleasure. She felt the familiar coil of heat winding tighter inside her and she moaned, not yet ready for the release. It felt too good to end now.

Kakashi groaned against her flesh, his lips vibrating against her and Sakura felt herself coming undone. She could feel him smile as he watched her and she looked down at him as she came. Her lips parted and she gasped, her hips grinding against his mouth. Her orgasm felt like an explosion of pleasure across her body and she couldn't help the cry of desire that fell from her mouth. Kakashi lapped up every bit of her and kept his tongue against her until she couldn't take anymore and she had to push him away. She clamped her legs together and pushed her hands through her hair, gasping for breath as she rode the high of her orgasm. She could feel him crawl up the bed beside her, kissing across her shoulders as she hid her face in her hands.

“That's what I fantasize about.” He whispered against her damp neck, brushing her hair away from her face. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her as she turned to face him. She stared up at his beautiful face, his chin damp, hair tousled , and she felt her heart nearly explode inside her. The realization of her feelings was almost more overwhelming than her orgasm. She couldn't breath, her lungs and chest too full of her love for him. He smiled down at her, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and in that moment Sakura said the one thing she shouldn't have.

“I love you.” 

* * *

 

 


	16. Lie

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Chapter 16: Lie

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_“I love you…”_

 

Sakura stared up at the dark ceiling of her bedroom, her own words whispering over and over in her head and each time she cringed at the memory. She wasn't sure why she had said it. It was a slip up. She had been lost in the fading afterglow of her orgasm, staring into his face and it just tumbled out of her mouth. If he heard it or not, she didn't know. He had been moving to kiss her when she whispered it and he never hesitated or paused.

 

He had kissed her and caressed her hair and they continued on as if it _had_ never happened. And now, hours later, in the dark, Sakura was wide awake wondering if it had actually happened. She remembered being terrified after hearing her own voice in her ears, had been screaming at herself inside her head as he had kissed her. But he never said anything back, hadn't even smiled or mentioned it.

 

Maybe he truly hadn't heard her.

 

_“I love you…”_

 

Sakura stifled a groan behind her hand and slipped quietly and carefully from the sheets. She glanced to Kakashi who was breathing slowly and steadily and had been asleep for the past two hours before she tiptoed to the bathroom across the hall. She shut the door, left the lights off, and sat down on the toilet lid, dropping her head into her hands.

 

God, she wished Ino was here to help her through this. Well, not _here_ but not _gone_ for the next 13 days. How was she supposed to get through this without her? She wouldn't tell Hinata, mostly because she would only see the situation behind rose colored glasses and think the whole thing was _sweet_. It wasn't sweet. This was a nightmare.

 

She had said she loved him and now she wasn't even sure he had heard her. Which was fine, if he hadn't. But, if he _had_ and he was choosing to ignore it...she felt sick and had to put her head between her legs. With three little words, she had almost fucked up their whole...relationship? No. A relationship was normal; it was dating and courtship and normal fucking activities. Sneaking around behind everyone's backs, fooling around in the back of the library and behind the guard shack and lying to their friends, was definitely not a relationship. It was an affair, at best. And she had ruined it with three, measly words.

 

Sakura sat up and looked into the darkness of the bathroom, frowning at her stupidity. Maybe not, though. It was entirely possible that he hadn't heard her. And if he had, and chose to ignore it, maybe he figured she was just riding the high he had given her. Surely people said all kinds of things in the throes of passion they didn't mean.

 

She swallowed hard.

 

She had meant it though. She had fallen hard for him and was _in love_ with him. There was no denying it now.  That realization made her feel more nauseous than before and she scrubbed her trembling hands over her face, hoping she wouldn't throw up. Knowing that she said it and the possibility that he was choosing to ignore it was torture. Maybe she should just ignore it as well, pretend like nothing had even happened and be all smiles and flirtatious until he went home and she could have a proper freak out by herself. Besides, she definitely didn't want to stop seeing him and she feared that if he thought she _had_ fallen for him, he might not want to keep this up. She had assured him this was only physical and he trusted her to keep it that way.

 

Sakura stood from the toilet and made her way quietly back to the bedroom. He hadn't moved and was sleeping on his stomach, the sheets barely covering his half naked body. She bit her lip and stood by the door, admiring him in the faint light of the street lamps outside the window. Yeah, she could definitely pretend it didn't happen if it meant she could keep sleeping next to him and seeing him like _this._

 

She slipped back into the sheets and smiled as he reached over and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close as he turned toward her. His fingers found hers and he held her close to his chest, sleepily kissing her across her shoulder. Sakura couldn't help the tight squeeze to her heart and bit her lip.

 

She could do this.

 

She could pretend like she wasn't completely and totally in love with this man. _She would have to_.

 

* * *

 

 

Morning came early and Sakura had managed to slip away from the bed with the intention of preparing a delicious breakfast the same way he had done for her a few weeks ago. Her mother had always told her the fastest way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. But, that actually required food and the interior of Sakura's fridge was a pathetic state. She had forgotten that today was supposed to be her grocery day and she frowned before shutting the door gently.

 

So much for winning his heart through food.

 

A tiny thought bubbled in her mind, reminding her that his stomach wasn't the only way to his heart. Her cheeks flushed and she gripped the handle on the fridge a bit tighter, glancing back toward her bedroom. She could just imagine slipping under the sheets and waking him an entirely different way, but after last night, her confidence was shattered.

 

Her shoulders fell and she dropped her hand to her side, cursing herself for the millionth time for her slip up. Why? Why had she been so careless to let something like that slip? God damn her big mouth. It would forever get her into the worst possible situations and she wanted to kick herself time and time again.

 

There were only two options for her at this moment, she figured. One, she could own up to it and tell him exactly how she felt about him and whether he felt the same or not, at least she would know and not be left in the dark, constantly wondering. And two, which was the easier option, lie to him. Tell him she didn't mean it, that she was just caught up in the moment and she is still learning after all. It was an honest mistake. Surely moments of passion are mistaken for emotions all the time. This was just another lesson for her to learn.

 

Squaring her shoulders, Sakura turned back to the hall and quietly tiptoed toward her bedroom. She peered around the corner to spy him still laying face down on her pillow, the sheets kicked free from his body, leaving nothing to cover him but a pair of dark gray boxers that hugged his ass perfectly. The sight was so delicious, she had to swallow down a whimper as she leaned a shoulder against the door frame.

 

“Come back to bed.” Kakashi’s muffled voice startled her and made her stomach fill with butterflies. Her feet moved, obeying his command before she had even realized what he said. He glanced up at her through a mess of silver hair as she slipped back into the sheets. “What are you doing up so early?” He asked and Sakura felt her words stick like glue in her throat.

 

She wanted more than anything in that moment to tell him the truth. Option one was screaming at her, begging her to choose it. “I...was wanting to make you breakfast.” She told him instead. Sakura frowned and looked down at the wrinkled sheets beneath her. “But, I have absolutely nothing to make. Unless you want an apple that I don't really remember buying.”

 

He scoffed and slid an arm around her, pulling her back to him as he rolled onto his side. She could feel his hardness against her backside and her face flushed hotly as he leaned toward her. His lips against her shoulder made her shudder and her eyes fall closed. “I'm not hungry.” He whispered against her earlobe before nipping gently at it. A chill ran over her flesh and she bit her lip to keep a moan hidden in her throat. She had more important things to talk to him about...she couldn't let him distract her. Even if she desperately wanted to surrender to him at that moment.

 

Her throat was dry as she swallowed hard, trying to force her mind to form a coherent thought that she could say. It was hard, especially when she could feel so much of him beside her. “Hey.” She whispered, her voice rough and deep and even she could hear how sexy it sounded. Looking over her shoulder, she could see something dark in his gaze and it made her fingers tremble around his. “I…” the words refused to come. Part of her wanted to tell him again, to bravely say those same three words that were causing her so much trouble. Yet, the other part was full of fear and terror that saying them would mean the end of this. No more touching, no more being near him, no more kissing him. That part was driven by the fear and she drew in a deep shuddering breath and lied. “I'm sorry for what I said last night.”

 

He brushed a strand of her hair from her temple and looked down at her, his brows furrowed. “Why are you sorry?”

 

“Well...I didn't want to scare you off. We started this whole thing on a purely physical basis and I didn't mean to let something like that slip so carelessly. I just wasn't prepared to feel something so intense...sexually and I confused that feeling with something else.” The way he curled his finger around her hair made every nerve in her body tingle and her heart ached to be saying these words. She wanted to stop and tell him the truth but her head begged her to keep going. Anything to secure her place at his side for just a bit longer.

 

Kakashi stared at her for a long moment, studying her face and glancing from her eyes down to her lips and back up. Sakura swallowed under his scrutiny. The air between them felt charged but she couldn't quite read what was on his face. His expression was strange, a mix between curiosity and disappointment. The corner of his lips twitched and she felt the urge to lean over and kiss them. His voice startled her. “Take a shower with me.” He said softly, sliding his arm out from beneath her as he moved to the edge of the bed.

 

Immediately, her mind filled with the image of him standing beneath a steaming jet of water and she felt her mouth water at the thought. She had never showered with anyone else before. Even at the Academy after training, she would wait until the locker rooms had been cleared before she bathed. And aside from the drunken night that she and her friends compared their chests and the day in the onsen with Kakashi, she had never been that blatantly naked with someone. Even though his mouth had been between her thighs, and he had seen and kissed and touched more of her body than anyone else, showering with him made her feel suddenly vulnerable. She was sure her cheeks were flushed pink and she sat up in the bed, nervously hugging her knees to her chest. “You want to take a shower with me?”

 

Kakashi stood from the bed, his boxers riding so low on his hips that she couldn't help taking in the sight of his body for a few seconds. He reached a hand out to her without answering. Sakura took his hand and let him help her off the bed and into the bathroom across the hall. He drew back the curtain and turned the hot water on, filling the room quickly with steam. Sakura hugged her arms around her stomach and shivered as she watched him grab two towels from the shelf above the toilet and laid them out, like he had done this a thousand times. She didn't know why she was so shy all of a sudden but it felt as if she were about to step off a towering cliff. Her stomach clenched tight a she turned to face her, an eyebrow raised on his forehead.

 

“Do you always shower with a T-shirt on?” He smirked but it quickly faded once he realized she wasn't laughing. “Are you okay?”

 

“I'm just...a little nervous. I've never…” Sakura looked pointedly at the shower curtain and hated herself for feeling so self conscious about her body. She knew she wasn't the most feminine, didn't have all the curves that boys usually drooled over, and it never bothered her much. So, why was she all of a sudden so concerned with how he would see her? Technically, he had seen her naked twice now but those times had been so sexual and this was a level of intimacy she didn't exactly know how to handle.

 

Kakashi took a step toward her and took her face in his hands. His lips tenderly pressed against hers and she felt her fears and anxiety fading quickly. “I won't push you to do anything you're uncomfortable with.”

 

“I know.” She whispered. “I'm fine. I'm just feeling a bit self conscious around you, I guess.”

 

“Don't. I would hope you knew by now what you do to me.” He laughed and kissed her forehead before dropping his hands to her side. The bathroom was completely filled with steam by now and the moisture gathered on his eyebrows and lashes. He waved a hand through the air between them. “I think I have it a bit hot.” He turned toward the faucet and Sakura took in a deep breath of the humid air. She took the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the floor at her feet. Even with the heat from the water, she shivered and her nipples hardened as Kakashi turned back toward her. He let his gaze dip to her naked chest before flickering back to her eyes.

 

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to.” He assured her but her mind was already made. If she couldn't tell him the truth, then she was at least going to  conquer her fear of him seeing her naked. The corner of her lips lifted and she hooked her fingers around the waist of his boxers, pushing them down over his ass and thighs where they joined her shirt on the floor. Her hands lingered against the flesh of his stomach, playing with the thin strip of silver hair that ran from his navel to his cock. She bit her lip and glanced down between them, her cheeks burning at the sight of him. She had felt it between her legs, against her ass and once in her hand at the hot springs but seeing his cock so hard for her made her entire body burn as hot as a raging inferno. As inept and inexperienced she was, she suddenly wanted to drop to her knees and take him into her mouth, try to make him feel as good as he made her feel.

 

His hands on her hips broke her from her trance and she licked her dry lips as he pushed her panties down her legs and pulled her toward the shower. She was once again completely in his control and whatever he wanted of her in that moment, she wouldn't hesitate. It was dangerous but she truly couldn't help it anymore. The water soaked through her hair and though it was a bit hotter than what she usually preferred, she didn't pay it much mind. Kakashi stepped closer to her, the water pooling between their chests as he pressed her against him. His mouth was on hers almost instantly and she could taste both him and the water on her tongue. The feel of his thumbs circling over her nipples made her shudder and she gripped his shoulders to keep herself steady. They spun and Sakura felt her toes leave the shower floor briefly as he pulled her close, one hand slipping down to squeeze her ass. She wasn't expecting it to still be tender from the previous night but she gasped against his mouth and flinched away from him.

 

Kakashi pulled away and glanced over her shoulder to her ass before chuckling softly against her neck. “Sorry.” He said and Sakura gave a small shrug before laying her head against his chest, the water soaking them both. God, she loved this feeling, being in his arms and feeling completely safe. He held her close for another moment before breaking away to dip his head completely under the spray of water. “Shampoo?” He asked and Sakura turned to the plastic rack behind her to grab the purple bottle of shampoo she used. He poured a bit into his palm and scrubbed it over his scalp and Sakura held the bottle to her chest as she watched him. She studied the mark on his chin, the curve of his jaw and all the fading pink scars that stretched over the skin of his chest.

 

He leaned into the water to rinse off and Sakura reached out to trace a finger down the length of one scar that was cut directly over his heart. She didn't know where it had come from and it looked to be older than some of the others. Kakashi took her wrist in his grasp and she blinked in surprise, glancing up to catch him staring at her. The look across his face was unreadable and dark and she felt herself almost shrink away from him. He pulled her closer, his grip never faltering and Sakura wasn't sure but she felt as if he wanted to say something. They stayed that way for several minutes and whatever he had wanted to say, stayed hidden behind his lips. He blinked a few drops of water away from his lashes, the moment slipping away now. He turned her so that her back was against him and took the shampoo bottle from her hands. A moment later, his fingers were in her hair and she closed her eyes, leaning into his hands as he massaged her scalp. She was desperate to know what he had been thinking as he had grabbed her, but the feel of his fingers in her hair was mesmerizing and the hardness touching her hip was very distracting.

 

Soapy bubbles fell from her head down to her chest and soon, Kakashi’s hands moved from her scalp to caress her breasts. Sakura let her head fall back against his shoulder and he kissed her throat, his hands exploring her body and making it hard for her to keep from pulling him back to the bedroom for a repeat of the previous night. Her hands joined his over her stomach and breasts, her fingers slick around his from the soap.

 

Her heart was thumping hard beneath her chest and she bit her lip as she reached between them and found his cock against her backside. He gave a small shudder as she closed her fingers around him and gently squeezed. The water and soap on her fingers made him feel very slick and even the slightest movement she made, Kakashi reacted with small gasps and moans that was very motivating for Sakura. She had never imagined doing something like this and had always thought she would be horrible at it. He hugged her tightly against him with one arm as he took her hand in his and slowed her movements down just a bit, guiding her. She bit her lip and felt her cheeks turn red but she was determined to get it right.

 

As she slowly slid her grip down his length, she tried to gauge just how thick he was and imagine what it would possibly feel like inside her. She couldn't help the small whimper that escaped her lips and she dipped a hand between her legs, pressing against herself. She was wet and not just from the shower. “Fuck, Sakura.” Kakashi panted against her ear and she let her eyes close as she slid a finger over her clit and worked him with her other hand. His fingers found her nipples and pinched and groped and they were suddenly a tangle of hands against each other. Sakura quite liked being in control and as she felt Kakashi jerk and buck his hips into her hand, she glanced back at him. Just the look of ecstasy on his face made her nearly come and it wasn't long until her thighs were clamping together and she was breathing hard and ragged.

 

He came quickly behind her, one hand raked through his wet hair as the other still gripped at Sakura’s breast. His seed spilled hot over her fingers and she gaped down at it, amazed that she had made it happen, wondering if she would ever get used to it. He was still hard in her grip and she let him go as he gave one final shudder and opened his eyes to stare down at her, breathless. “That was unexpected.” His voice was a bit hoarse and it made Sakura feel light headed to hear.

 

“Unexpected and enjoyable?” She asked hesitantly, before rinsing her hands off in the water. He still hadn't moved much but his face had turned pink, either in the heat of the shower or from having her make him come in her hands. She didn't know which, but she definitely loved the way it looked on him.

 

“Very enjoyable. I honestly didn't intend anything to happen. I just wanted to shower together.”

 

“I liked it.” She assured him with a smile before dipping her hair into the water to rinse the remaining shampoo from her head. “I just...I've obviously never done it before and I hope I was okay at it.”

 

Kakashi smirked down at her and circled a hand around her hip, gripping a handful of her ass in his fingers. Her flesh was still tender but she kind of liked the pain. It was a reminder of what they had shared. “You keep surprising me, Sakura.” He kissed her forehead before ducking out of the shower curtain. She quickly turned the water off and followed him, grabbing the towel he held out for her and wrapping it around her chest. She bit her lip and couldn't help staring at him as he ran the towel over his hair. Her chest ached in a way that was more sweet than painful and she wanted to reach out and touch him, caress his jaw, trace the river of scars running along his skin.

 

He dressed in his boxers and shook the remaining water from his hair before turning to smirk down at Sakura. “As much as I would love to stay, I need to go.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Call me in a few days if you still want some company while Ino’s away.” He reached out and traced her jawline with his thumb and before Sakura could lean into his touch, he turned to the door. The bathroom was suddenly cold without him beside her and she hugged the towel to her chest with a shiver as she watched him dress in his clothes from last night. She wanted to tell him to stay, that she would need his company tonight and the next and the next. Her heart ached and begged for her to reach out to him and keep him there.

 

Kakashi turned to her as he slipped his feet into his shoes and shook the hair from his eyes. “Maybe next time you can spend a few nights with me.” His words made her spirits lift a bit and she wanted to know when she could come by. She resisted the urge to ask and gave a smile and a nod instead. “I'd like that.” He kissed her forehead, slipped his mask back into place and told her goodbye before turning toward the front door.

 

The look he gave her over his shoulder as he opened her door was hard to read, but there was a strange sadness in his eyes that made Sakura’s stomach clench. She didn't have time to even think about it before he slipped out and let the door shut with a click behind him. And once again, she was left alone in her own apartment, feeling lonelier than she had ever been.

 

* * *

 

 **AN-** Well, I suppose I should apologize for being away for so long. It's not because I gave up on this story...I've just been through some  personal things. I intended for this chapter to be much more angsty...but since I've been gone for over a month, I decided to return with a little treat before things hit the fan. Hope you all haven't given up on me! 


	17. Ruin

 

* * *

 

Kakashi hit the gym floor hard enough that clouds of dust flew up from between the boards. High above him, the lights swayed back and forth, still trembling from the force of him falling. A grinning face came into view as Guy stood with his hands on his hips, a look of triumph on his face. “You’re getting soft in your old age!” He extended a hand down and Kakashi scoffed as he took it and let him pull him back to his feet.

He pushed a hand through his damp hair and opened his mouth to reply but was cut short. “He’s not getting soft. He’s distracted.” Yamato pushed off the wall and crossed his arms over his chest before making his way to the pair. Kakashi sighed and ignored him, spreading his feet wide and lowering into a fighting stance.

He had wanted a few hours of alone time in the gym, but once Guy realized where he was heading, he refused to let him go alone. Besides, how was he supposed to properly train without his rival? They had been sparring for the past hour and, much to Kakashi’s disappointment, Guy had managed to best him at every turn. Narrowing his eyes, he focused his attention on his opponent, noticing the muscle on his left shoulder twitch just a fraction before he struck.

Kakashi rolled out of the way, lifting his foot to catch Guy across the back as he threw a few hits. Despite being slower than he used to be, the man was still agile and lightning quick. A fist came out of nowhere and grazed the top of Kakashi’s ear before he pushed off the floor and jumped several yards away. Guy grinned and rushed him, turning to the left and then back to the right at the last minute. It was too late, Kakashi fell for the fake and for the second time, he was rolling quickly over Guy’s shoulder to slam into the floor.

A few specks of dust rained down from the rafters and pelted him on the forehead as he stared up at the ceiling, his breath quick. Damn. It wasn’t often that he let someone get the best of him, but twice in a row? Maybe Yamato was right. He was distracted.

Kakashi pushed off the floor and landed on his feet, shaking his head as Guy crouched back into a defensive stance, ready to go again. “I think you win, today.” He said as he grabbed a water bottle from the younger Shinobi watching them. He turned it up and gulped half the bottle, not letting the two see how annoyed he was at himself. Guy laughed heartily and clapped a palm across his rival’s shoulder blade. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be back to your old self soon. Next time, I’ll try to go a bit easier on you.”

Kakashi scowled and wiped his face on a gym towel, wishing he had been able to work out on his own. He didn’t mind the company, but losing against Guy was only a stark reminder that he was distracted. And no matter how much he tried to think of something - anything - else, he couldn’t seem to get Sakura out of his   
mind. Her touch, her lips, her voice, it was all very clear in the front of his mind as if she were standing before him. In the dark hours of the night when he tried to force himself to sleep, he could still hear her say she loved him and it made his heart ache. He was dying to hear it again, whether she truly meant it or if she had just been caught up in the heat of their passion.

“Anything you’d like to talk about, Senpai?” Yamato asked, a small, almost undetectable smirk on his lips. He tilted his head to the side as he waited but Kakashi could only grunt and gulp the last of his water. “Nothing I can think of.” He tossed him the empty bottle before turning toward the showers. What he needed was to wash the sweat off of his body and try to decide what he was going to do.

Thankfully, Guy and Yamato stayed behind and gave him a bit of privacy. He made his way down the stairs to the showers and grabbed a fresh towel from the stack beside the lockers. The faucet shrieked loudly as he turned the water on and stripped from his training attire. He stepped into shower, closed the curtain around him and sighed at the tepid spray, wishing for a hotter temperature. He needed to burn away the feeling of his numerous defeats and the infuriating confusion that had been clouding his mind so much since he had left Sakura’s house last week.

Kakashi pushed his face into the water and held it there for several minutes, listening to the groaning pipes hidden behind the shower tiles. He put his hands out to the wall and leaned his weight on them, letting the water race over his eyes. It didn’t help him forget her. If anything, it only reminded him of the last time they were together, in her bathroom, with her hands on him. His body responded at the memory and he curled his fingers into fists. It had been less than a week since he had been with her and he was dying to see her again. He couldn’t even last a week anymore.

His head felt full and chaotic, thoughts of Sakura and his own inner torment slamming together to create a whirlwind of confusion. Every time her face flashed in his mind, her eyes closed, lips parted as she fought to catch her breath, he would be reminded by a voice in the back of his head that he was a wretch for what he was doing. She had told him she loved him...he knew she shouldn’t love him, that this thing they had was supposed to be nothing but physical and yet he did nothing to stop it. He kissed her, held her close, let her put her hands on him and make him come…she shouldn’t love him. There was nothing good that could come of it.

He didn’t deserve her and she didn’t deserve to be lead along like this. She’s too good for you. You’ll only ruin her.

Kakashi’s jaw clenched and he lashed out, sending his fist through the tile of the shower and into the water pipes. The metal bent with a crunch and the water above him slowed to a trickle, leaving him naked and feeling defeated for the third time.

 

* * *

 

  
Sakura wanted a cigarette. She had never smoked before, but the mood she had been in the last few days called for something like a cigarette. Laying on her bedroom floor, she stared up at the ceiling and had watched the shadows stretch over her walls as the sun began to slip lower in the sky. There was hardly any light left now and she stayed on her back against the fuzzy, purple rug at the foot of her bed.

Her fingers twitched against her stomach and she clenched them into fists, wishing she had something to hold, something that could occupy her hands. They were desperate to touch something, to feel the soft, stretch of skin that ran along Kakashi’s chest. The pink crisscross of scars over his body begged to be touched and she was dying to oblige. Sakura closed her eyes and for the millionth time, her voice echoed in her ears. I love you.

Why hadn’t she owned up to it? Why had she been such a coward? He might be with her now if she had. Instead, they had both been avoiding one another. Sakura has tried to immerse herself into extra duties at the hospital but, that hadn’t worked at all. In fact, it only resulted in her accidentally giving a patient a steroid shot that had only come in with an ingrown toenail. Shizune has given her the next few days off for that but Sakura was thankful. She was tired of dealing with people anyway.

Now, she had spent the entire day wallowing in self pity, jumping from cursing herself for opening her big mouth to kicking herself for not telling him the truth. When had lying ever worked out for her? Never.

So why did she think this time would be any different?

Despite the quiet of the night, a noise at the front of her apartment echoed to her bedroom and Sakura sat up slowly. It was keys jingling at the front door. She could hear the locks turning and for a split second, panic sank heavy in her stomach. Who else had a key to her apartment aside from Ino? Had she given one to Naruto, Hinata?...Kakashi?

The door opened and a this hit the carpeted living room followed by a heavy, familiar sigh. “Anyone home?” Ino called out as she tossed her keys to the kitchen counter where they hit a stack of plates Sakura had been neglecting to wash. At first, she didn’t answer and wondered if she could crawl into her closet and pretend to be gone. The last thing she wanted was to fight with her best friend and if they didn’t do that, then Ino was going to want to hear things that Sakura didn’t know she was ready to say. She laid back down on the floor and drummed her fingers over her ribs before answering. “Back here.”

She counted the steps that thumped along the floor until a dark figure stepped into her doorway, hands on her hips. “What are you doing in the dark?” She asked before her hand reached out and flipped the light switch on.

Sakura barely had time to shield her eyes from the bright light. She sat up and rubbed the stars from her vision. “Can’t a girl enjoy a little bit of darkness from time to time?” She moved from the floor to her bed and sat on the corner of the mattress, avoiding the look on her best friend’s face. “I thought you’d be gone until next week.”

“I decided to come back early.”

The crickets outside Sakura’s window only made the seconds tick by even slower as silence stretched between them. There wasn’t much that either wanted to say and Sakura refused to be the first to speak. What would she even say? ‘So sorry for becoming sexually active with my former sensei and keeping it from you’. That just wasn’t going to happen. Sakura sighed and sat up straighter, looking up into the face she had been avoiding. Ino’s brows were creased and she bit her bottom lip in worry. “I think I should apologize to you.” She said, throwing Sakura completely off guard.

It wasn’t often that she heard the words ‘I’m Sorry’ from her and after a fight like the one they had, it was the last thing she expected to hear. Blinking, she shifted on her bed and shook her head. “Sorry for what?”

“For blowing up, for not letting you explain things to me, for making you feel like you had to sneak around behind my back.” Ino shrugged and leaned a shoulder against the door frame. “So, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t even mean to keep it from you. I just...didn’t exactly know how to tell you.” Her voice cracked and Sakura swallowed the lump that pressed against her throat down. Her fingers shook and she glanced down at them in her lap. She felt the mattress shift as Ino sat beside her and cleared her throat. With a sigh, the blonde looked up toward the ceiling.

“You know I’m dying to know everything. It’s one of the reasons I came back early.”

Sakura raised an eyebrow. “What’s the other reason?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“That’s not fair. If I tell you what you want to know, you should tell me what I want to know.”

Ino sighed and fell back on Sakura’s bed, throwing her arms over her head. “Fine. I came back early for someone.” Sakura whirled around and tucked her legs under her, her eyes wide as she stared down at her best friend. “Who?” She asked but Ino shook her head, refusing to answer.

“Not until you spill first. How did all of this start with Kakashi?”

Sakura’s shoulders fell and she collapsed beside her, blowing the hair from her face as she stared up at the ceiling. Where was she supposed to start? It was all so strange to even live, let alone explain to someone else. “Remember that night we went out and that guy hit on me at the bar?”

“The one you threw up on.” Ino added with a small giggle.

“Whatever.” Sakura rolled her eyes. “I was feeling frustrated that I was so inept at dating and I just...recruited Kakashi to help me. Now, who did you come back early for?”

“Wait, that explains nothing!” She sat up and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder, blinking down at Sakura. “I need first kiss details, how far have you gone, measurements and whether it was weird or not!”

“Measurements?! I am not- just no!” Sakura rolled off the bed and stumbled to her feet, heat flaring across her face as she tried to wrap her head around what Ino was asking. I mean, of course the measurement was good...It was as close to perfect as she could imagine one could be but there was no way she’d tell Ino that! It was far too intimate a thing to be discussing. Besides...that was only for her to know. She hurried to the open window, thankful for the breeze blowing in to cool her suddenly flushed skin.

From the bed, Ino rolled over onto her stomach and grinned up at her, the look in her eyes mischievous, as if she could already suspect exactly what Sakura was thinking. “That good, huh?”

“You really are a pig, you know?” Sakura wanted to be angry, but it felt so good to be joking around and laughing with her best friend again. A week without her to talk to, knowing she was upset and hurt was unbearable. Sure, she had had a great night with Kakashi, and an especially sexy morning, but she couldn’t deny that she had missed Ino.

“Fine, no measurements. But, at least tell me if he’s a good kisser.”

The blush across Sakura’s cheeks glowed bright as she turned and glanced out into the street below her bedroom window. She didn’t even know how to describe his kiss. It was amazing, delicious, perfect and so much more. It actually frightened her how good he was at it and how after the countless times he had kissed her, she still felt as light headed and dizzy as she had been the first time. She reached up and touched her fingertips to her lips, unable to resist the sigh that escaped. “He is.”

“God, I knew it. Face?”

“So hot it hurts.”

Ino was on her knees on the bed now, leaning forward as if she hung on every word that Sakura spoke. Her blue eyes were sparkling as she wracked her brain for more questions. Each one she asked, Sakura had no problem answering truthfully despite her earlier worries. “How far have you gone with him?”

She sighed and let her head fall back against the window sill, blinking up at the breeze flowing through her curtains. “I haven’t had sex with him if that’s what you want to know.” Yet, she silently added. She also decided that she wouldn’t tell Ino about saying the three little word slip up. Her feelings were already too difficult to sort out on her own, having someone else try to read them would only confuse her more.

“Wasn’t it weird?” Ino’s voice cut through her thoughts like a knife and she turned toward her, brow furrowed. "Like, when you first kissed him. Did it not freak you out?"   
Sakura shook her head slowly. "I mean, it was weird going from friends to definitely more but kissing him wasn't weird. It was..." She lifted her eyes to the ceiling, searching for the right words. "It was almost like I couldn't believe we hadn't done it sooner. And it feels like that every time we kiss."   
  
They stayed quiet for several minutes, Ino probably soaking in all the answers and Sakura trying to fight off the arousal that always swirled through her when she thought about Kakashi. Being away from him for a week was beginning to drive her crazy. She wondered if he was missing her too, laying on the floor, wishing he could see her or touch her. It made her ache deep inside to think of and she knew she couldn't last another day away from him. She would go to his apartment tomorrow and if he wasn't home, she would wait. The thought of having to force herself to go to sleep tonight made frustrated her and she wasn't sure she could last that long.  
  
Could it be possible to sneak away and see him tonight? She would have to try. She needed him.   
  
"So, what are you two, then?"  
  
"What?" Sakura looked up at Ino, caught off guard by the question.  
  
"Are you just dating or are you together together?"  
  
For the first time since Ino came home, Sakura found herself unable to answer her questions. She shook her head and looked down at the floor, all of the fear and cowardice rushing back into her mind as she tried to figure out the answer. "I don't know."

* * *

 

 


	18. A Hard Lesson To Learn

 

AN- I bet you didn't expect to see an update for Teach Me, did you? Told you it wasn't abandoned ^_^

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* * *

 

“How is the pressure, Mrs. Tanaka?” Sakura raised her eyes to gauge the reaction from the elderly woman laying across the examination table. The chakra surrounding the medic’s hands moved soothingly into the woman’s hip, easing the inflammation that had been building up over the joint. Mrs. Tanaka smiled with a small nod, reaching out to grasp her husband’s fingers.

 

“Oh, that feels much better. I thought I had broken a bone for sure.”

 

“No breaks this time, but you need to be more careful from now on.” Sakura finished healing the woman who had fallen earlier that morning while tending to her garden. They had hobbled into the Emergency Department just as Sakura was finishing up a 12-hour graveyard shift. She had decided to stay over for a bit, knowing it would be at least an hour before anyone would be able to see to the poor woman. Once she had pulled her chakra from the woman’s hit, Sakura stripped the gloves off of her hands and tossed them in the trash by the sink. She glanced back at them from over her shoulder.

 

Mr. Tanaka shook his head as he helped his wife sit up on the table. “That’s what I’ve been telling her for the past five years. She’s too stubborn to listen to me. Let me help you, next time.”

 

“You hush. If I left the garden for you to tend to, it’d be overgrown with weeds!”

 

Sakura hid her smile as she turned her back to the couple and made her marks on the woman’s file. She scribbled a prescription for some mild pain relievers before turning back to the pair, holding out the blue slip of paper for the husband to take. “I’m writing you some pain relievers. If you feel any joint pain, take two and let yourself rest. No gardening for the next few days.” Sakura put her hand on the woman’s elbow to help guide her off the examination table. “I’m sure Mr. Tanaka will be able to handle the weeds.”

 

“Or, I’ll call that lazy grandson to come do some actual work! Spends all day with his nose in a book.” Mr. Tanaka shook his head as they gathered their belongings and shuffled out of the room, arguing about whether or not to call the grandson to help. The room was suddenly quiet without their bickering and Sakura couldn’t help smile as she watched them make their way down the hall. Their grandson reminded her of someone else she knew that always had his nose in a book, someone she had trouble getting out of her head long enough to get any actual work done.

 

Sighing, Sakura shook the thoughts of Kakashi from her mind and cleaned up the mess she had made accommodating the injured woman. After a grueling 12 hour shift, she was thankful that her last interaction had been with a couple like them. They had argued back and forth the entire time, but it had only been out of love. He had been so worried that his wife had been seriously hurt, pacing the floor of the exam room as Sakura worked. It was endearing to know he loved her so much.

 

And yet, all Sakura could think of was how badly she wanted that kind of love in her life. Passion was great, but to feel something of that magnitude for someone and know they felt it for her as well...it was an indescribable feeling. One that left her a bit breathless as she heard her own voice whisper those three words she had said to Kakashi in her mind. She put a hand to her forehead and leaned against the sink in the corner of the exam room, hating this confusion that plagued her mind. She should have just told him the truth when she had the chance. Hadn’t she learned by now that lying only got her in trouble?

 

Sakura scooped up the folder that belonged to Mrs. Tanaka and hurried to the nurse’s station to hand it over to whoever was on duty. They rotated through nurses so quickly, she couldn’t keep their names straight anymore. The young woman took the folder and smiled sweetly but Sakura was already heading to the locker room to hang her white coat inside her cabinet. She slipped out of her scrubs and threw on the T-shirt and yoga pants she had strolled in with, knowing she should hit the gym for a bit of training before she crashed. She put her dirty scrubs in her bag and looped it around her shoulder.

 

The gym only reminded her of the night she had recruited Kakashi to teach her, so that was out of the question. She needed to go somewhere that she couldn’t be haunted by him. Although, she wasn’t sure where that even was. Even her own room brought up memories of being on her back on the bed, his face between her thighs as she moaned his name. God, she had to get some fresh air. Thinking about the things Kakashi did to her would turn her on and the hospital wasn’t exactly the place in which she wanted to be aroused.

 

Pushing through the doors of the emergency department, she shook her hair from her face and glanced toward the street that would lead to his apartment building. It was where she truly wanted to go. But, she was fairly certain he would still be asleep at 6:45 in the morning. And despite how tempting it would be to see him answer his door with his hair disheveled, looking adorably sleepy, she knew it wouldn’t be a good idea. Not when she was still so unsure of what they even were. Or what she wanted them to be.

 

No, she knew what she wanted them to be. She had been wanting it for a while now. And now that Ino and Hinata knew, she wasn’t afraid of having the entire village know. The thought made her laugh. What had she even been afraid of to begin with? Who cares what anyone else thought? She knew what she wanted and that was all that mattered. She wanted to be with Kakashi, _officially_.

 

Taking a deep breath of the morning air, she turned to the right to head toward her apartment. She needed to sleep before she did anything. But, tonight, she wasn’t going to let fear get in the way. She would be with Kakashi and she would tell him the truth.

 

* * *

 

  


“You going somewhere?” Ino asked as she leaned a shoulder against Sakura’s door frame, her blue eyes drifting down her friend’s attire. Currently, the pink haired girl was slipping her feet into a pair of shoes, shaking her head with a laugh as she smoothed the fabric of her skirt down her thighs. She shrugged but the blush on her cheeks told Ino exactly what she wanted to know. “Somewhere with a certain sensei?”

 

“Hush.” Sakura waved her off and stepped to her mirror, studying her appearance. She wasn’t sure of the skirt but, wanted to look nice since it was a sort of special occasion. It wasn’t every day a girl lost her virginity. This was something she wanted to be perfect. “I’m just going to talk to him.” Sakura said simply.

 

“Something tells me, he’s not going to want to do much talking.” Ino raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk and moved back toward her own bedroom. Alone, Sakura took a deep breath to calm her nerves and made sure she had brushed her teeth, put on deodorant, and shaved everything as perfectly as she could. She was reminded of the first night she had went to Kakashi’s, standing in the shower worrying about how much care she should put into her appearance, not wanting to look too eager.

 

Things were much different now.

 

Satisfied that she looked pretty enough, she grabbed her keys and strolled toward the front door, calling out to Ino as she went. “Don’t wait up for me.”

 

“Oh, you’re staying over night just to talk?” Ino called from her bedroom with a chuckle but Sakura was already heading through the door. The sun was just starting to set and though the day had been hot, the night was a bit cooler with a gentle breeze blowing. It was absolutely perfect and it made her steps bounce just a bit more as she hurried down to the street.

 

Her feet knew where to go, leaving her to think about what the night had in store for her. She was nervous, but not in a bad way. Every inch of her body was buzzing in anticipation, more than ready for the things he was capable of making her feel. She wanted to feel his hands on her skin, in her hair, his lips against her neck.

 

She was completely caught up with the thoughts of Kakashi, so much so that she paid no attention to what was happening around her. Even the sound of her own name being called went ignored until a hand was reaching out to touch her elbow. Whirling around, Sakura blinked in the familiar faces of Shikamaru and Temari grinning at her.

 

“You must have been deep in thought. We’ve been calling you for almost a block now.” The Suna kunoichi said with a smirk, her eyes drifting down to Sakura’s outfit. With a blush, she tucked a strand of pink behind her ear and forced a laugh.

 

“Oh, sorry. I just have a lot on my mind tonight. What are you two up to?”

 

“Being dragged to some party.” Shikamaru said, rolling his eyes as he took a puff of his cigarette, blowing the smoke toward the sky. The girl at his side jammed her elbow into his ribs hard enough to make him cough on his smoke before she turned back to Sakura.

 

“It’s a sort of going away party. I’m heading home tomorrow for a few months so I thought we’d have one last night to have some fun. Wanna join us?”

 

“Oh, that sounds fun but--”

 

“There you two are.” A voice behind her made the hair on the back of Sakura’s neck stand up and she turned to see Jin making his way across the street. He smirked down at her as he joined Temari, throwing his arm around a rather bored looking Shikamaru. “I thought you started the party without me.”

 

“Not quite.” Temari eyed her boyfriend, who did not appear to be very thrilled by having Jin so close before grinning. “Just trying to convince Sakura to come out and join us.”

 

“I really can’t tonight--”

 

“Not even an hour? We’re heading home tomorrow and it’d be fun to have another dance with my favorite kunoichi from Konoha.”

 

“Oh, just kill me now.” Shikamaru shook his head and ducked out from Jin’s arm, walking ahead of the two Suna shinobis who stayed behind to wait on Sakura’s answer. She blushed at Jin’s words but knew there was nothing that could keep her away from Kakashi tonight. Besides, she still remembered their last dance at Choji’s birthday party. It hadn’t been that great.

 

Shrugging, Sakura took a few steps backward. “Sorry. If I didn’t already have plans, I would. Maybe the next time you’re in town!” Without waiting for their answer, she spun on her heel and hurried in the direction she had been going before they stopped her. She liked Temari, and knew Shikamaru did as well despite his outward demeanor but, she had to do this tonight. She was afraid if she put this off, she’d just convince herself of all the reasons why she shouldn’t do it.

 

It had to be tonight.

 

Taking a deep breath of the night air, she turned the corner and spied Kakashi’s apartment building only a few yards ahead. She was just as nervous as she had been the first night she was here. Though, unlike that night, she wasn’t sneaking around anymore. She didn’t care who saw her walking up his steps, or who was around to see her press the buzzer beside his name. Her thumb hesitated over the button as she bit her lower lip, taking a second to make sure this was what she wanted.

 

She pushed the buzzer, more sure of this than anything else in her entire life. Her breath held tight in her lungs as she waited for three seconds, then four, then five. Fifteen seconds had passed before she let out her air and she pursed her lips. She hadn’t planned for him to be out for the night.

 

Would it seem too persistent to buzz him again? Did she really care?

 

She raised her finger to the device but a voice broke through the static before she could press it. “‘Lo?” The sound of his sleepy tone made her entire body feel as if it had lifted from the ground and she couldn’t stop herself from grinning. She stepped up to the speaker.

 

“Hey. It’s me.”

 

He didn’t respond but the lock on the front door clicked and she hurried to pull it open. There was no one in the main stairwell and she didn’t waste time glancing around. She took the stairs two at a time, forcing herself to calm down at the second floor. She didn’t want to break a sweat and start to smell, especially after how much care she took to get ready earlier. Smoothing her hair down and straightening her skirt, she calmly made her way up the remaining stairs until she was on his floor.

 

His front door stood before her and her heart felt as if it would burst out of her chest. She didn’t hesitate to knock, straining her ears to listen for his footsteps. The lock twisted on the other side and she took a breath as he pulled the door back. The sight of his bare face made her blink in surprise and she wondered if she’d ever get used to seeing him like this. He smiled and she stepped inside his apartment, realizing that her entire body was trembling.

 

Kakashi shut the door behind them and Sakura wasted no time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his. She had caught him by surprise but he soon kissed her back, settling his hands on her hips. They weren’t as low as she’d like them to be but she knew they had all night. There was no need to rush.

 

All too soon, though, he was pushing her back, holding her at arm’s length from his body. “Well, hello to you too.” He said with a chuckle.

 

“Sorry,” Sakura ducked her head and took a step back, pulling her shirt back down around her waist. “I’ve just missed that the past few days.”

 

“Me too.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes darting to the kitchen, as if he were trying to look at anything but her. Was he not as eager to see her as she was him? Well, she could fix that. “So, what do I owe this visit?”

 

She took a deep breath, knowing now was the time to tell him. Well, maybe not tell him _that_ exactly but, she had to tell him she was ready to be with him. All of him. Taking his hands, she led him to the couch and sat down, pulling him to sit beside her. “I just wanted to tell you something.”

 

“Alright, what is it?” He met her eyes, and for a split second, she thought she could see a bit of fear flash behind his gaze. It stopped her words in her throat and she clamped her lips shut around them. Everything about him in that moment made her nerves tremble with doubt. He had let go of her hands and crossed them over his chest as if he were hiding them from her. Sakura blinked and shook her head, knowing she just had to say it. If she let every little fear rule her life, she’d never be able to do this.

 

Pursing her lips, she slid closer to him on the couch and put her hand on his thigh, forcing a smile despite the fear that gripped her insides. “I’m ready. I want...I want to have sex with you.” She leaned forward to kiss him but the second her lips touched his, Kakashi put his hands on her arms and gently pushed her back.

 

He stood up suddenly, sending Sakura lurching forward. She watched him shake his head and cross the living room. He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. “No, you’re not.”

 

“What?” She stared after him in disbelief for a brief moment before rushing to her feet. She stomped after him, looping her arm around his elbow to turn him back to face her. This time, the look on his face shocked her. There was so much sadness, so much that she couldn’t even read. “Kakashi, I _am_ . I’ve thought about this a lot. I want to do this. I’m _ready._ ” She reached for him again but he took a step back, his back pressing into the door frame as if he were terrified of her touching him. All of the confidence she had felt on her walk over to his apartment shattered into a thousand pieces and she could barely catch a breath.

 

“I’m not.”

 

“What?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes searched his but he quickly looked down at the floor to avoid her gaze.

 

“I can’t do this, Sakura.” His words cut through her like a knife and she put a hand to her chest before taking a step back. “It needs to be with someone you love. And that can’t be me.” Kakashi looked at her now and she blinked back the sting of tears prickling at her eyelids. He was serious. There was nothing in his stare except sadness and it made her feel as if the room was spinning out from beneath her feet.

 

“You can’t do this?” She asked, swallowing back the lump in her throat. “You can’t have sex with me, is that what you’re saying?”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“You can’t fuck me, but you can kiss me and you can touch me in the theater and the library?” She gestured to the window, as if pointing toward the two places they had been when he had first put his hands between her legs.

 

“Sakura-”

 

“You can go down on me like it’s no big deal in the hot springs, but when it actually comes to fucking me... _that’s_ where you draw the line?” Her voice was louder than she wanted it to be but, she was filled with so much hurt and confusion that it was hard to stop herself from becoming angry. All of the love and happiness she had been looking forward to came crashing down around her and all that was left was a bitter aftertaste that was making her more furious with every passing second. She was so confused, so hurt, and Kakashi could only stare at her with wide eyes, making her feel even angrier.

 

“There wasn’t a line. I just...You deserve to be with someone who deserves you.” He reached for her but she quickly took a step back, shaking her head.

 

“Don’t you think I should be the one to decide what and who I deserve?” She narrowed her eyes on him and crossed her arms over her chest. “Is this because of what I said?”

 

“No!” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maybe. Look, you’re new to all these feelings and I don’t want you to confuse love for sex--”

 

“I _knew_ it!” Sakura really wanted to punch something right now, mostly herself...and him a bit, but she stopped herself and pointed a finger to his chest. “I knew you’d get scared.”

 

“I’m not scared. I just don’t want you to get hurt. Sakura, I care about you--”

 

“Bull shit.” She spat, shaking her head as she crossed to the front door. “You’re just like every other guy. You’re a coward. But, if this is what you want, then fine. If _you_ don’t want to have sex with me, then I know _someone_ who does.” She wrenched the door open, careful not to rip the damn thing off its hinges before she stormed out into the hallway, leaving Kakashi gaping after her with his mouth hanging open. Good. She hoped her words hurt him as much as he hurt her.

 

Her hand gripped the railing and she turned back to see him running out the door of his apartment. He stopped short on the landing a few feet in front of her as she glared back at him from over her shoulder. “You know, I thought I could love you. I thought you’d be the one person who would never hurt me but now, I can see you got exactly what you wanted before I fell too hard for you.”

 

“Sakura, that’s not what--”

 

“Leave me alone, Kakashi.”

 

Tears fell heavy and warm down her cheeks and she cursed them as she rushed down the three flights of stairs to the ground floor. By the time she reached the bottom, she couldn’t even see where she was going. With each lungful of air she sucked in, her chest ached horribly and her legs trembled as she pushed her way out into the night, wanting nothing more than to go home and cry herself to sleep.

 

“Sakura, stop!” Kakashi called out to her and she whirled around, throwing her hands up in defeat.

 

“What? What else could you possibly want to say?” She swiped angrily at the streaks of tears down her cheeks and could see him now. He stopped just outside the front door, his face as unreadable as ever and she hated it. She wished that just once, she could know what he was thinking. It wasn’t fair that he could read her so easily and she never knew what was behind his gaze.

 

Shaking her head, she looked to the sky with a bitter laugh. “I hope you had fun with me, Kakashi. I hope you liked kissing me on your couch, fingering me in the dark theater, and the way I taste. But, there’s nothing else you can teach me.” Her voice cracked and shook as she spoke but she didn’t care. She said what she wanted to him and after he remained silent, she spun on her heel, taking one step down before she caught the stares of three men who stood at the bottom of the steps of Kakashi's apartment building.

 

Naruto’s jaw hung halfway to his chest while Iruka and Yamato stared in utter shock, their eyes darting from Sakura back to Kakashi. Bitter laughter bubbled deep in Sakura’s chest and she turned to look at Kakashi from over her shoulder. “Well, I guess all of your friends know now too.” She shook her head and turned back toward the three men staring at her. They stumbled back, giving her a wide berth to pass between them, more than likely scared that she’d punch a hole through their heads if they tried to stop her.

 

The silence behind her was deafening but she couldn’t help laughing, despite every fiber in her being begging her to let it all out in a good cry. She refused. The time to cry over Kakashi would have to wait. Tonight, she was losing her virginity one way or another. She hadn’t been lying to him earlier. If Kakashi wouldn’t do it, then she’d find the one person she knew who would.

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AN- Well, that only took 4 and a half months. I know you're all probably super pissed at this update and I don't blame you. But, I have to wind this story down...I guess there's only about 3 more chapters left. I hope you all haven't abandoned me!


	19. Found

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Sakura stomped through the streets, cursing herself for being so fucking stupid. Again! All of her life she had been stupid and even now that she was an adult, nothing had changed. She always put her faith and hope into the wrong guy, thinking she could change him, thinking he’d  _ want _ to change for her. What an idiot, she was! 

 

Her fingers curled into fists at her side and she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself so she wouldn’t want to punch a hole through the next few buildings. A little voice in the back of her mind tried to reason with her, tried to tell her to maybe think about what Kakashi had been saying. She didn’t want to hear it. 

 

She was hurt, rejected, confused, and pissed. Mostly at herself, but a little of her anger was because of Kakashi as well. Why did he let it go so far if he knew he wouldn’t want to finish it? Why did he let her fall for him?

 

No! 

 

She wasn’t going to think about that. She was going to ignore this gaping hole that he had driven into her heart and she was going to fill it with alcohol and meaningless sex. It wouldn’t be healthy, nor would it even patch the damage but, it would be far better than letting it remain open. 

 

Swiping at the tears that collected in the corner of her eyes, she paused outside of a darkened business that had closed for the night. Using the glass windows as a mirror, she peered at her reflection and hoped her face didn’t look too flushed. It usually always gave it away that she had been crying. This time was no different, but she couldn’t bring herself to care too much. She gave another glance to her clothes and figured it would be a shame to waste an outfit. If Kakashi couldn’t appreciate how much care she put into making herself look good for him...well, maybe there was someone else who would.

 

Jin’s face flashed in her mind and she took a deep breath, turning away from the dusty window. The last time she had even been alone with him had been the night Kakashi had kissed her so hungrily in that back alley. Just the thought of the way he had pushed her up against the brick like he was dying just to feel her made her entire body tingle now. Growling, she crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her foot. Her heel cracked the pavement on the corner of the street and she glanced around to make sure no one had seen her. The street sign sticking up from the concrete now leaned to the side from the sudden force of her foot and Sakura quickly crossed to the next block, feeling a bit sheepish.

 

She had to get Kakashi out of her mind. She needed booze and boys whose inhibitions were lowered. Ahead of her, she could see a familiar spike of black hair on the back of someone’s head and her eyebrows went up in surprise. Bingo! Shikamaru stood outside of a bar with a neon ‘open’ sign hanging crookedly in the front window, a cigarette in his hand. He was talking to Kiba and by the way they waved their hands around wildly, she could tell whatever they were saying was rather humorous.

 

Rolling her eyes, she marched up to the two of them. Shikamaru’s eyes widened at the sight of her and he smirked. “You change your mind?”

 

“I suddenly remembered that I needed to get extremely drunk tonight.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and forced a smile that she hoped looked as aloof as she was attempting to be. Of course, nothing much got passed Shikamaru. Thankfully, he wasn’t as nosy as Ino or Naruto and he gave a short scoff before taking a drag of the cigarette.

 

Kiba put his hands behind his head and grinned, nodding toward the front door of the bar. “I think you came to the right place.” 

 

“I hope so.” Sakura stepped between the two, taking a cloud of smoke right to her face before she reached the door. Her eyes stung but she blinked through it and ducked inside. Temari’s familiar blonde hair caught Sakura’s attention first and she sighed. Beside the kunoichi was Jin and another Suna visitor, all arguing with Shino and Choji about the proper rules of Shogi. 

 

Beside the bar, an older man was singing karaoke rather off key and Sakura winced as his voice cracked. The bartender jerked the mic from the man’s hand and pushed him off the stage. He stumbled in front of Sakura and collapsed into a chair, sobbing into his glass about missing his ex-wife. God, she hoped she didn’t look that pathetic. 

 

Ignoring the man, she made her way through the tables and patrons before she stepped up to Jin, putting her hand on his arm. He looked down at her, his eyes going bright with surprise. “You came!” He threw an arm around her and Sakura had to admit, it already felt good knowing someone was happy to see her. She felt her face blush and she shrugged.

 

“Well, I couldn’t let you go back home without saying a proper goodbye.” 

 

He grinned, oblivious to her lie but she forced herself to grin back. He kept his arm around her as he signaled to the bartender, holding up two fingers. A second later, a beer bottle was handed to her and she thanked the man for bringing it. She wasted no time putting it to her lips and downing as much as she could, desperate for the alcohol to dull the ache inside her chest. Temari winked at her from across the table before she continued her argument as if she hadn’t missed a beat. 

 

Six beers later and Sakura let out a loud burp that echoed around the table the eight of them sat at. Choji and Jin both clapped, impressed at the volume of her sudden outburst. Shikamaru used one hand to clap against the table, his other currently wrapped around Temari’s. Seeing them so close made Sakura’s stomach hurt. She was happy for them and knew they were perfect for one another but, she couldn’t ignore the pinch of jealousy that stung at her insides whenever they would flirt or kiss when they thought no one was looking. 

 

Their intimacy was sweet but left a bitter taste in her mouth and only served as a reminder that Sakura was now utterly alone. No more secret rendezvous, no more anticipation of meeting Kakashi in the back of the library or kissing him when she knew no one was looking. It left her feeling so empty that she almost couldn’t believe that it was real. How could her life be just...void of him now? Was her memories of them all she would have?

 

Another beer slid across the table, jerking her from her thoughts and she barely caught it before it fell to the floor. She stared down at the label, picking at the corner with her fingernail, not immediately putting the bottle to her lips. “Uh oh, looks like Haruno’s finished.” Choji laughed into his own beer.

 

She raised her eyes and narrowed them on him. “You think six beers will put me under? You do know I learned from the best right?” She turned the bottle up and did Tsunade proud, not stopping until the last drop hit the back of her throat. More cheers sounded from the group and the hand that touched her bare thigh under the table made her look up at Jin. He smiled, his eyes drifting down to her lips and she swallowed, trying to ignore the sweat that started to bead along the small of her back.

 

She had seen that look before. It was the same way Kakashi would look at her before kissing her. Of course, when it was Jin, she didn’t feel as if she would pass out from the dizziness in her head. But, it still made her smile and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Jin leaned toward her, his lips meeting her earlobe as Choji put two bottles to his lips and chugged them, turning the table’s attention away from Sakura.. 

 

“Is it weird that watching you do that turned me on?”

 

Sakura laughed and quickly put a hand to her mouth to quiet herself. She nodded, suddenly feeling the effects of the alcohol. “Yeah, kind of.” Jin chuckled and she felt his hand slip just a bit further up her thigh. Her first instinct was to slap his hand away and tell him to go fuck himself but she resisted and let the alcohol do its job. She reached beneath the table to put her hand on his, meet his eyes as she pulled his fingers even higher up her leg despite the tiny voice in the back of her head begging her not to. 

 

Heat clouded his gaze and she smirked. It seemed she  _ had _ learned a few things from her lessons with Kakashi. She could definitely kiss a man without throwing up now and she was eager to know what else she was capable of. If she could bring a man like Kakashi to his knees, she could do much more to someone like Jin. 

 

“You’re going to make me hard in front of everyone.” He murmured in her ear and Sakura looked up at him. She didn’t know if she had drank enough alcohol to lower her own inhibitions to sleep with him but, she was tipsy enough to at least  _ try _ to accomplish what she set out to do. 

 

“Well, maybe we need to be alone.” She hated how sultry her voice sounded, hated that she wasn’t whispering these things to Kakashi and feeling his touch on her body. If her face showed any of the sadness she was feeling, Jin didn’t notice. The look on his face made Sakura’s stomach clench at the realization that this was actually happening. She felt powerless to stop it. 

 

She didn’t want this, and yet, she let him take her by the hand and guide her to her feet. He said something to the group although she couldn’t hear it through the intense ringing in her ears. There was a chorus of sounds that broke her from her daze and she blinked just as Choji cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. “Get a room!” 

 

Jin was leading her toward the back exit before she could even realize she was moving and a part of her wanted to dig her heels into the stained, dingy carpet of the bar. He looked back at her, the corner of his lips lifting in a smirk and Sakura lost the will to resist. Wasn’t this what she had wanted? Kakashi taught her how to have confidence, how to maneuver herself in situations just like this. Before that night in the gym, she had been dying for a night like this. Wanting an attractive guy to be turned on by her and wanting her physically was exactly the kind of thing that had driven her to ask for Kakashi’s help.

 

The backdoor opened up into a darkened alley before she was ready. The faint smell of garbage and aging alcohol hit Sakura’s nose and she put an elbow to her face to block the horrible assault to her senses. “Gross.” She muttered, stepping over a puddle of dirty water that leaked out of the back of a dumpster. At least it had distracted her from her thoughts. 

 

Jin laughed at the wrinkle across her nose and pulled her down the alley until the smell faded far behind them. The night was dark with almost no moon to help light the way through the dimly lit streets. Before he could turn the corner to lead her toward where ever he was staying in Konoha, an ad painted on the side of a building caught Sakura’s attention. 

 

She stared up at the woman on the billboard, lounging on a chair beside one of the pools at the hot springs. She could remember the first time she saw it and the phrase written across the top of the picture in curling letters, ‘Life’s short, get naked’. It had been what prompted her to plan her little experiment with Kakashi in the onsen, the first time they had ever been naked with each other. It was also the first time she had realized she was developing deeper feelings for him and that she could very well be falling in love with him.

 

Or, was she just confusing love with sex, like Kakashi has suggested? His voice echoed in her mind as she gazed up at the woman and the man smirking down at her and the gaping crater Kakashi had left in her heart began to ache. But, instead of misery and loneliness, all she felt was overwhelming anger. She was angry that she had ever started this with him, ruining their friendship; she was angry that they’d never be more than this broken mess that they were now and she was furious that he hadn’t wanted her the same way she wanted him. 

 

Sakura narrowed her eyes on the nearly nude woman who was still smirking at her from over a pair of cherry red sunglasses. Her hand squeezed Jin’s and before he could lead her out into the street, she pulled him back to her and snaked her hand around his neck. Surprise passed over his face but he quickly recovered and realized what the look in her eyes meant. 

 

He pushed her hips back toward the brick building until she hit the painted woman’s feet, his mouth hungrily capturing hers. Sakura closed her eyes, trying to remember how she would kiss Kakashi. Jin’s lips were a bit rough from living in the Suna desert for so many years. They were so different from Kakashi’s that the contrast surprised her. She pushed the thought away and kissed him back anyway, her fingers moving through the hair at the back of his head. 

 

All too suddenly, Jin’s fingers were beneath her shirt and Sakura snapped her eyes open. His fingers were too short, too rough and she whimpered as he parted her lips with his to slip his tongue against hers. She gripped his hair tightly, forcing herself not to push him away. If she wanted to stop this ache inside her, she had to do this. She had to erase every touch of Kakashi’s from her body. 

 

One of his hands slid up to her back while the other dipped between them, gathering her skirt in his fingers. The material bunched around her hips and she gasped at the touch of his fingers against the lacy panties that she had picked out especially for Kakashi to appreciate. His face flashed through her mind in an instant, making her freeze against Jin. She could see the way he looked at her after their first kiss and the smirk on his lips as he teased her in the basement of the hospital. Every single glance he had given the past few months ran through her mind like a movie and she blinked in shock as she pushed Jin back. She didn’t care if Kakashi couldn’t have sex with her...She didn’t care if all they could be was friends. If he wasn’t ready, she should have waited for him. 

 

God, she was a horrible person.

 

He had been concerned for her, cared about how she would handle all of these new, intense feelings and she had made him feel like complete shit for it. She had embarrassed him in front of his friends and acted like a total jerk when all he had wanted was to protect her from getting hurt. And now, she was kissing a stranger that she didn’t even want! She opened her mouth to apologize to Jin but clamped her mouth shut.

 

He stared down at her, his lips curling into a hungry grin. Oh god, he thought she was playing hard to get. Jin dipped his head back toward her but Sakura quickly ducked away, looking back just in time to see his face smash painfully against the painted brick wall behind her. He grabbed his nose and stumbled back, looking at her in bewilderment. 

 

“What the  _ hell _ ?”

 

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I shouldn’t have ever let it go this far.” She pushed a bit of chakra to the palm of her hand, reaching out to help ease the pain that she knew was radiating across his nose. Jin jerked back, glaring at her as he wiped a small drop of blood from his top lip. 

 

“You tease me for the past three weeks and now all of a sudden you  _ can’t _ ? What the hell is wrong with you?”

 

Sakura felt as if she had been slapped in the face. She blinked at him in shock, her jaw hanging open. “ _ Tease you _ ? I’ve barely interacted with you at all!”

 

“You’re a fucking tease.” He cursed with a shake of his head. His words sank into Sakura’s head, mingling with the hurt and confusion she had been feeling since she had left Kakashi’s apartment. It all bubbled beneath her skin and she was powerless to stop herself. Her fist flew out and popped Jin across his already bruised nose, holding back as much strength as she could. Although, in that moment, she could have easily knocked his head off.

 

He stumbled to the side and braced himself against the opposite building, turning to stare at her with wide eyes as he grabbed his now broken nose. 

 

“I am  _ not _ a fucking tease! Maybe you’re just a bad kisser!” Her voice echoed around the alley and she immediately regretted her words. He hadn’t been a bad kisser, just a different kisser than what she was used to. Sighing, Sakura looked to the sky and dropped her hands at her side as Jin held his nose, blood dripping to the dirty ground. She stepped to him, ignoring the way he flinched at her. “Let me see it.”

 

“Why, so you can hit me again?”

 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you and I shouldn’t have said you were a bad kisser.” She ducked her head to catch his gaze. “You’re not a bad kisser. I just...I’m in love with someone else.” It felt strange to admit it, especially to someone she just punched, but a weight felt as if it had been lifted off of her chest and she could breathe just a bit deeper. Jin sighed and dropped his hand, letting Sakura step up to him. She pulled a bit of chakra to her palm and put it over his face, wincing at the feel of broken cartilage just under the skin.

 

“Ow.” He blinked up at the sky as she mended the tear, keeping herself far enough away not to get any drops of blood on her shirt. She glanced up and met his gaze as he looked down at her. “You could have just told me that, you know?” He said with a scowl.

 

“I know. I’m sorry.”

 

“I feel sorry for the guy.” He winced as Sakura used her chakra to pinch the bruise across his face. “ _ Only _ because I know first hand that you pack a mean punch. I have a feeling that wasn’t even a fraction of what you could really do.” Jin laughed as she pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. 

 

“I barely tapped you, really.”

 

“I deserved it, I guess. I’m sorry I called you a tease.” He wiggled his nose and sniffed, obviously impressed by the quick mend to his broken nose. Between them, he stuck his hand out and raised an eyebrow. “Friends?”

 

“Friends.” Sakura smiled, relieved that she hadn’t went as far as she had planned to go with him. If she was being honest with herself, she had to admit that if Kakashi had never been in the picture, Jin was definitely someone she would have wanted to experiment with. “I hope I didn’t ruin your trip to Konoha too much.”

 

“You didn’t. But, I think I’m going to stay in Suna for a while. The girls there aren’t half as feisty.” 

 

Sakura laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear, the tops of her cheeks growing warm as he smiled down at her. He reached up and touched her cheek, caressing her blush with his thumb. “You need to tell this guy how you feel. If he’s smart, he’ll be thrilled to hear it.”

 

She leaned forward and kissed Jin across the cheek, thankful for his kind words and understanding that she just didn’t feel the same way. He was a good guy, just not the guy for her and she hoped he had better luck in Suna. They said goodbye and Sakura hurried back toward Kakashi’s apartment. She hoped he was home and that his friends weren’t with him. Telling him that she loved him was a priority at the moment but she’d rather not say it in front of Naruto. 

 

Not yet, at least. 

 

It wasn’t long before his building came into view and she raced up the stairs, careful not to fall like she had the last time she had visited him after drinking. She was breathless as she pressed the buzzer for his apartment, taking a step back to wait on him. Just like earlier that day, the seconds ticked by with no answer. She buzzed him again, waited, and after nearly a minute, pressed the button several times in a row.

 

If he was home, he was definitely ignoring her. 

 

Sakura stepped back and gazed up at the windows stretching above her on the building. She wasn’t quite sure which one was his but, it seemed that all of the windows on his floor were dark. Was he asleep? It was only 9 o’clock…

 

Defeated, she turned and stared out at the streets. A sickening though sprang to her mind and she put a hand to her stomach to keep herself from throwing up. What if he had the same plan she had earlier? Find someone else and mindlessly sleep with them to forget about Sakura. He wouldn’t do that. He was better than she was…

 

The thought refused to leave her mind as she headed down the steps and turned toward her apartment. In the distance, lightning lit the clouds and she could hear thunder rolling through the sky. She could smell the rain coming and knew she had to get home before the storm hit the village. 

 

Her legs felt heavy as she made her way up the steps outside her apartment. Inside, the radio was blaring loudly over the faint sound of the vacuum running. Ino was actually cleaning? Shaking her head, Sakura opened the front door and forced a smile to her best friend before dropping her keys into the bowl on the dining room table. Ino pulled the plug out of the wall and turned to Sakura with a frown.

 

“I thought you’d be out all night.”

 

Sakura shrugged, not even sure where to start or if she even wanted to. “Change of plans. I’m going to take a shower and go to sleep.”

 

Blushing, the blonde took a look around and scratched at her forehead. “I...was planning to have company. But, if you’re staying in, I can cancel.” 

 

Sakura blinked at her before glancing down at the vacuum and the candles lit around the living room. So, that’s why she was cleaning. Any other day, her curiosity would be too intense to ever ignore this but she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. “It’s fine. I’ll just be in my room. With my headphones on.” 

 

Without waiting for an answer, Sakura made her way into the bathroom and quickly stripped of her perfect outfit she had planned. It felt like a month ago that she had stood in front of her closet, coordinating the skirt with the top. Now, she didn’t even want to look at them. She welcomed the steam that filled the bathroom and fogged the mirror. The heat of the water was exactly what she wanted and she let it beat down over her neck and shoulders. 

 

Her mind was blank as she focused on washing herself. She didn’t want to think about anything, didn’t want to dwell on the fear of Kakashi out in the village, looking for someone else. She scrubbed the feel of Jin’s fingers off of her body, thankful that she could barely remember what his kiss had even felt like. By the time she was finished, the apartment was quiet and she wrapped her towel around her before hurrying into her bedroom.

 

She found a comfy pair of shorts and a long sleeve shirt that had been worn so many times there were holes beneath the armpits. It was a comfort shirt that she wore when she was sick or heartbroken. The rain had made its way over the village and she could hear the downpour pounding against the side of the building as she crawled into bed.

 

At the front of the apartment, someone knocked on the door and Sakura sighed. She was happy for Ino and she had to admit, she was a little curious but not enough to make an appearance. She reached for her headphones on the bedside table just as Ino poked her head into her bedroom. “Um, Sakura?”

 

She looked up and frowned. Was she really going to introduce this new guy  _ right now _ ? But, the look on Ino’s face made the knots in Sakura’s stomach twist. “What is it?”

 

“You have a visitor.”

 

Sakura slid to the edge of the bed and stood to her suddenly shaking legs. She followed Ino out into the hallway and put a hand to her mouth to hold back the gasp. Standing in front of the front door, dripping wet from the rain was the one man she had been desperate to find earlier but couldn’t. Kakashi had found her instead.

 

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 **AN-** One more chapter and an epilogue! I think you know what the next chapter will be about ;)


	20. Perfect

AN- Well, this is it. The end of Teach Me. It's bittersweet because this has been my favorite story to write and it's been over a year that I started it. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have ^_^ I appreciate every single comment, kudos, and bookmark. I adore you all! Thank you for motivating me to write :D  
  


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The only sound in the small, two bedroom apartment was that of the rain pounding hard against the roof and the occasional rumble of thunder overhead. No one spoke a word. Water dripped off of Kakashi’s hair and arms as he stood just inside the door, staring at Sakura with a look that made her heart race faster than it ever had before. She took a step toward him but hesitated, unsure of herself. She glanced at her roommate standing beside her bedroom door, offering her no help in what to do. 

 

Several seconds passed, no one saying a thing until Ino cleared her throat and crossed between the two of them. She ducked her head and turned to Sakura with a soft smile. “ You two seem to have a lot you need to talk about so I’ll just go out tonight.” Kakashi didn’t even glance her way as the blonde hurried to the front door and ducked out behind him.

 

The door shut behind her with a soft thump that echoed in the silence that filled the apartment. So many thoughts ran through Sakura’s mind that she couldn’t settle on a single one of them. All she could do was stare at him, not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry more.

 

Kakashi wiped a hand over his face, pulling his damp mask down to his throat before taking a step toward her. “Sakura,” He said softly, his eyes searching hers and though he was still several steps away from her, she could practically feel his breath against her as he spoke. 

 

It was such a relief to hear her name on his lips that she sighed and closed her eyes, savoring the sound of it. Before he could move or say anything else, the front door opened back up and Ino slipped inside, wincing apologetically. “I’m sorry. It’s just raining a _ lot _ harder than I thought.” She crossed the hallway to her bedroom and quickly grabbed a raincoat, slipping it over her arms as she rushed back to the front door. “Sorry.”

 

Once again, her departure left them in silence and Sakura couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the whole situation. She dropped her hands to her sides, shaking her head as her feet moved her forward on their own. Kakashi met her in the middle of the hallway, his hands reaching for her waist as she lifted herself onto her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. 

 

The feel of him so close to her again was better than anything she had ever felt and she breathed him in until her lungs ached inside her chest. Sakura closed her eyes and buried her face against his neck, not caring at all about how rain soaked he was. All she wanted was to hold him and never let go.

 

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered against her hair, reaching up to run his fingers through the damp strands at the back of her neck. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

 

“I’m sorry, as well.” She pulled away from him, tears burning at her eyelids. “You’ve been so patient with me and I was horrible to you. Those things I said…” She shook her head, not wanting to even think about her own words. It shocked her that she had even said them. Despite the tremble of her bottom lip, she looked up at him. “I didn’t mean it.”

 

Kakashi smiled down at her, wiping the droplet of a tear away from her cheekbone. “No, you were right. I was being a coward.” He took her hands in his and lead her to the couch, sitting her down on the cushions. She watched him take a deep breath and turn to gaze at the television across the room. “I was scared of how you felt about me. Not because I didn’t want you to be in love with me but, because I was terrified of the thought that you would wake up one day and realize this was all a mistake.”

 

Sakura blinked, taken a bit by surprise. She shook her head in disbelief. She wanted to tell him that she would never do that, that she was so in love with him that his fear was impossible but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. The words felt heavy in the back of her throat and all she could do was stare down at her hands trembling in her lap. 

 

“But, after you left, I realized something.” Kakashi turned toward her and ducked his head to meet her gaze as he hooked a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head. “I’m in love with you, Sakura. More so than I ever thought possible. And I was so scared of how I felt about you that I thought it would be better to push you away. But, it wasn’t.”

 

Sakura could only stare at him, her mind completely void of any rational thought. And as he spoke, she watched the droplets of water drip off the strands of his hair and roll down the side of his face. She reached up and brushed his hair from his face, pressing her palm gently against the cool skin of his jaw. Her thumb brushed over the scar beneath his eye and she felt the corner of her lips lift in a soft smile. “I love you, too. I’ve been falling in love with you since the day in the hot springs. And not just because of how good you make me feel when you go down on me.” The flush across his face made her grin and he ducked his head with a smirk. “But, because you make me feel safe and I trust you and the way I feel when I’m with you is better than anything else I’ve ever felt before.”

 

Kakashi surprised her by closing the distance between them, his lips against hers before she had even finished speaking, though she definitely wasn’t complaining. God, it felt so good to be kissing him. Especially after she had been so sure she would never get to again. His fingers raked into the hair on either side of her head, snaking around to grip a handful at the back of her neck. She let him take control, pulling her head to the side so he could kiss her deeper. 

 

Sakura circled her arms around his neck and slipped her leg over his until she was sitting on his lap, their chests pressed together. He let his hands fall from her neck to her sides, dipping low across her hips. Through the thin fabric of her shorts, she could feel his fingertips pressing into the flesh of her ass and it sent a familiar warmth spreading through her body. Despite how badly she wanted to push him to explore other parts of her body, her exhaustion was hitting her like a ton of bricks.

 

She had been through an emotional hurricane in just a short amount of time and didn’t know if she could even enjoy herself. Kakashi seemed to sense the hesitation through her kiss and pulled away just enough to rest his forehead against hers. Neither said anything, enjoying the moment where they could just be in one another’s arms. Sakura leaned forward, resting her head against his shoulder as he slowly drew his palm up her back in soothing circles. It was so relaxing, feeling the warmth of his body, his hands on her and the sound of the rain still pouring outside that she felt she could fall asleep right there.

 

A thought struck her suddenly, making her face flush hot and she shut her eyes tightly. It was hard to find the words but she managed to force them out. “I didn’t go through with it, you know.”

 

“Hmm?” Kakashi asked, laying his cheek against her forehead. 

 

“When I left earlier, I said I would find someone else to..you know. I just want you to know that I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t.”

 

His hands stopped their trek across her back and she winced, hoping he wouldn’t be too curious about who she had been referring to. She felt him swallow and sat up to look down at him. “I want to be honest with you, though. I-I did kiss him.” She looked away from him before she could see the look in his eyes. “As soon as I kissed him, I realized how horrible I was and I--”

 

“Sakura,” Kakashi reached up and slid a hand along her jaw, making her eyes meet his. “It’s fine. I know you were just angry at me so I don’t blame you. I’d rather not know much else about it, though.” 

 

“Okay.” 

 

She let him brush a strand of hair from her face, closing her eyes at the feel of his fingers against her cheek. Before she could stop it, a yawn snuck its way up her throat and she covered her face with both of her hands. Kakashi laughed and raised up to press a kiss to her jaw. “Are you tired?”

 

“Yeah. I only had about three hours of sleep after work this morning.” 

 

“Do you want me to leave so you can sleep?” He murmured against her neck, pressing gentle kissed into her flesh as he spoke. Sakura couldn’t help smile, slipping her fingers into the hair at the back of his head. 

 

“I’d sleep much better with you beside me.”

 

“Hmm. But, I wouldn’t get much sleep.” He leaned back and looked up at her with a cheeky smirk. “You snore pretty loud.”

 

Sakura’s jaw dropped and she raised a hand to playfully slap at his shoulder. Kakashi quickly stood from the couch, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. He chuckled as she clutched at his shoulders to keep herself from falling backwards. She let him carry her down the hallway into her bedroom, where just half an hour ago she had been ready to put her headphones in and cry herself to sleep. It seemed like days ago that she had gotten dressed after her shower, never expecting something like this to have happened but she was beyond happy to be back in his arms now.

 

Kakashi laid her back on her bed and stood to peel his shirt from his body, dropping it to the floor beside her door. His pants went next and Sakura bit her bottom lip as she took in the sight of him standing before her in nothing but his boxers. She cursed herself for not getting enough sleep earlier. Kakashi reached over to turn off the lamp before slipping into the bedsheets beside her. “Your bed is much comfier than mine.” He said with a slight pout.

 

“Well, you’ll just have to sleep in it more often.” Sakura settled against him, resting her hand against his chest as he held her. She listened to his breathing for a few moments, trying to match hers with his. The feel of his heart beat beneath her palm soothed her and she felt herself drifting. Before she could slip into her dreams, she felt Kakashi kiss the top of her head and she smiled. 

 

* * *

  
  


It was late, or early, Sakura didn’t know which. The rain that had been heavily falling down over the entire village earlier had finally slacked off. Now, only a slight drizzle tapped at her the window of her bedroom. She opened her eyes slowly, thankful that it was still dark outside so she could hold onto a few more hours of sleep.

 

But, before she could drift back into her dreams, she realized something was off. An arm was slung over her waist, holding her tightly against a warm body. For a brief moment, the memories of the previous day came flooding back to her and her heart raced through the disorientation of it. Arguing with Kakashi, leaving his apartment in tears, only to have him show up in the pouring rain hours later, confessing his love to her. She pressed her lips together to keep herself from squealing in delight, relieved that it hadn’t been just a dream. 

 

The arm around her waist tightened its hold on her momentarily, pressing into her bladder and making her realize that she had to pee. Carefully, Sakura pulled herself out from Kakashi’s hold and slipped off the side of the bed. Just before she left her bedroom to cross into the bathroom, she looked back at him. In the darkness, she could see the outline of his body, her sheet draped across his waist, leaving his torso bare. Her fingers twitched, begging to reach out and touch him but the pressure on her bladder was too intense to ignore. Besides, if she let herself touch him, she definitely wouldn’t want to stop any time soon. 

 

She relieved herself quickly and ran a small trickle of water to wash her hands, hoping she wasn’t being too loud. She knew Kakashi wasn’t a heavy sleeper and as tempting as the idea of waking him was, she still didn’t want to disturb him. Patting her hands dry on the hand towel, she ducked back across the hall and smiled to see him laying where she had left him. Sakura bit her bottom lip and sat on the bed beside him, reaching down to gently push his hair out of his face. 

 

It was hard to believe that he was there, in her bed, and in love with her. After everything they had been through together, even before all of this, it seemed bizarre that it had taken  _ this _ long for them to realize their feelings. In a way, she had always loved Kakashi. But, now, it was different and it felt so  _ right _ . 

 

“Are you going to stare at me all night?” He mumbled through the silence, startling Sakura. She jerked her hand back away from his hair and sighed, a bit of warmth touching her cheeks from being caught. He reached across her and pulled her back toward him. Sakura smiled like a contented cat as he kissed along her shoulders and up the side of her neck. “What are you doing awake?” He murmured, positioning her against him with the curve of her ass pressed into his lap.

 

The feel of his erection rubbing against her made her jaw fall open and before she could answer him, he kissed the spot just below her ear that made her entire body shudder with delight. Kakashi brought his hand up between her breasts, pausing briefly to brush his fingertips over each hardened nipple before he reached to her chin. He turned her head toward him and Sakura was breathless as he kissed her gently. Her body wasted no time responding to his touch and kiss, eager and desperately craving more. She turned in his arms and sank into the pillows, letting him sit up a bit so he could kiss her deeper. 

 

Kakashi pushed her hair back, letting his hands trail down to her throat and breasts. As his thumb traced the stiff bud beneath her shirt, Sakura whimpered against his mouth and he smiled at the response. She wanted to bring his hand back up, not yet ready for him to move on, but the thought of him going lower made her hesitate. He trailed his hand to her hips, over the edge of her panties and dipped between her legs, pushing them apart. 

 

Sakura let her head fall back against the pillows, breaking their kiss as she anticipated the moment he would touch her. But, it never came. And instead, he raked his fingers softly up the inside of her thighs, teasing her slowly as he dipped his head to kiss her neck. She squirmed, trying to push her hips toward his hands but each time she did, he took them further away from her. As she whimpered, Kakashi raised up and smirked wickedly down at her. “Do you want something, Sakura?”

 

“Mm, you’re teasing me.” 

 

“Just tell me what you want,” He whispered, kissing up her jaw until his lips were barely brushing against her own. She bit her lip, too shy to tell him all of the naughty things running through her mind that she was dying for him to do to her. Between her legs, he brought his hand back up her thighs to her apex and brushed the back of his knuckles across her damp panties. “Do you want me to touch you here?”

 

She nodded, her breath completely frozen in her lungs. She pushed her hips up to his hand but he pulled away. “All you have to do is say the words.” 

 

God, he was  _ so _ cruel. Sakura balled her fists up in the sheets around her, squeezing her eyes shut as her lips parted. “Kakashi, please,” she begged. He moaned softly, lowering his lips to hers and kissed her. She felt drunk on his kiss and when he finally did touch her, she nearly came off the bed entirely. He pulled her panties to the side and sank a finger between her folds, growling against her mouth once he felt how wet she was. Instead of reaching for her clit like she had been anticipating, he pushed his middle finger inside her and her entire body trembled. 

 

She fell away from his kiss, panting for breath. Her body took over, moving against his hand as he stroked her from the inside. Every dip in and out of her, his fingertip brushed against something that drove her crazy and sent jolts of heat through her. She clutched the bedsheets and pushed her head back into the pillows, letting him press quick kisses to her throat. He dragged his teeth across her, nipping just enough to make her gasp but the slight pain mixed with the pleasure between her legs had her gasping for breath. She didn’t want it to ever stop but there was something more she was needing tonight. 

 

“Kakashi,” she whispered. 

 

“Hmm?” He curled his finger against that spot again, her body quivering as he raised his head to look up at her. Though it was the very  _ last  _ thing she wanted to do, Sakura reached for his hand and stopped him, pulling his finger out of her. 

 

Before he could even react, she pushed him onto his back and crawled over him. He stared up at her, eyes wide in anticipation and dark with desire. She bit the inside of her lip, unsure of herself but more than ready for this. She pushed her panties down her legs, kicking them off to the floor with her foot. As she looked back up at Kakashi, he let his head fall back against the pillows and raked a hand through his hair. She let her eyes trail down the length of his body, drinking in how delicious he looked, half naked in her bed, cock pressing hard against the inside of his boxers. Her hand reached for him and his breath was sharp at the feel of him. 

 

She curled her fingers around his length through the material of his boxers and her eyebrow raised in curiosity. A small part of her was afraid of how thick he was and that it would hurt too badly to go through with. But, that part was quickly silenced by her arousal from the way Kakashi whispered her name. She released him and tugged at his boxers until he was free and completely naked for her. 

 

She quickly stripped off her shirt and slid her leg over his body, sitting on his stomach with his cock pressing against her ass. Kakashi sat up, their chests pressing against one another as he circled an arm around her waist. “Do you have a, um…” He trailed off, eyes flickering up to meet hers and Sakura smiled sweetly. She knew what he meant and no, she did not have any condoms. But, she knew how to keep herself from getting pregnant. She had researched it the day they had started this whole thing. 

 

Ducking her head to kiss him, she lifted herself up over the head of his erection and hovered there for a moment. Her heart pounded like a drum and she couldn’t remember ever feeling this nervous, but not out of fear. She was more than ready for this experience with him. 

 

Kakashi reached between them and held himself steady, guiding her down onto him with his free hand. Their kiss broke as Sakura gasped, her mouth falling open though nothing came out. She couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound. He eased her onto him as slowly as he could and though she was definitely wet enough, it still took a moment to adjust through the slight pain. She held onto his shoulders, clutching at him as if she were afraid she’d float away. 

 

He smoothed her hair away from her face and watched her closely as she lowered herself down onto him completely. “Sakura,” he whispered after a brief moment and she nodded, ready for him to move. 

 

Kakashi slid out of her slowly and she gasped, her fingers digging harder into his shoulders. The pain was still there but so was the same sensation from earlier, when his fingers had found that spot inside of her. His cock pulled against it and she let her head fall back as her hips trembled. He pushed back into her, quickly falling into a slow rhythm of in and out that had her gasping. “Are you alright?” He asked, his words strained and breathless. As she nodded, Kakashi took her by the waist and laid her onto her back, raising onto his knees. 

 

He held her hips up off the bed and after a quick glance to make sure she was alright, he plunged back into her. From this angle, it felt even better and Sakura couldn’t help cry out from it. She pushed her hands through her hair, keeping them tangled within as he found the rhythm from before. With each push and pull, he dragged his cock against the spot inside her and she felt warmth spread out from her midsection, flooding through her entire body. 

 

He lifted one hand from her hip and reached up to her breast, kneading it gently with his palm before he moved to her face. The feel of his fingers against her jaw made her eyes close and she opened her mouth to suck gently on his thumb. Kakashi groaned, the hand still on her hip gripping harder into her flesh. As her tongue swirled around his thumb, he sucked in a sharp breath and groaned. He must have liked what she was doing. The sound of his quickened breath and grunts made her grin.

 

He took his hand away from her mouth and returned it to her hips, using his grip to bring her down onto him harder. The pain from his fingers bruising her hips and his thick cock stretching her made her throw her head back with a moan. She didn’t know which was stronger, the sharp stinging, or the feel of him hitting the button of pleasure inside her. 

 

It all melted into one the harder and faster he thrust into her and Sakura could feel something strong and hot building up. She covered her face with her hands, whimpering into her palms, begging for him not to stop though she wasn’t sure he could even hear her. Kakashi held her steady in his hands, angling her hips so that his cock slid against her the same way with each push into her. 

 

Oh,  _ fuck _ . 

 

She was going to come.

 

Sakura’s back arched off the bed and her mouth fell open in a silent cry of pleasure, gasping for breath. She stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom, watching it blur before her as she came. Her entire body trembled and she finally found her voice, crying out for him. Wave after wave of pleasure filled her from the top of her head to the tip of her toes that were still curling. She panted for breath, unable to keep herself quiet and with each thrust Kakashi made inside her, he drew out weak, little whimpers from her. 

 

She pressed her hands into her breasts, surprised at how hard her nipples had become and she looked up at Kakashi. His gaze was on her body, eyes narrowed in concentration and his lips were parted. She could feel his hips trembling as they slammed into hers and knew he was close. She sat up on her elbows and watched his cock pump in and out of her, so amazed by the sight of it that her jaw fell slack. 

 

Above her, Kakashi’s moan was guttural and he lasted only two more thrusts before she could feel him coming inside her. His cock pulsed with his own orgasm, spilling warm and wet inside her. Sakura couldn’t help stare between them, her eyes wide with wonder. She blinked out of her daze and looked up at Kakashi. He ducked his head, breathless and eyes closed tight, moving slowly in and out of her to savor the feel of it. Even after coming, he whispered beneath his breath, “ _ Fuck”. _

 

The only thing in her mind were the words ‘ _ oh my god’ _ repeating over and over but she couldn’t help the smile that slowly spread across her face. With a giggle she tried to hide behind her hand, Kakashi lifted his head and looked down at her. He gave a small laugh as well, shaking his head. “I don’t think it’s supposed to feel that good.” 

 

Sakura grinned and lifted herself up on her hands to kiss him. And though she was pretty sore, she couldn’t have been happier. Every little bruise would only serve to remind her of this moment. She pressed a sweet kiss to Kakashi’s lips and pulled back to look into his sleepy, half lidded gaze. “Don’t tell me I wore you out, Hatake.”

 

“Um, No. Of course not,” he said as he slipped out of her and stepped off the bed to reach for the towel she had used for her shower earlier. He cleaned himself off and Sakura watched, fascinated by the whole process.

 

“Good,” she said as he brought the towel to her. “Because I’ve been researching some interesting positions that I think would be a lot of fun..” 

 

“Oh, god.” Kakashi collapsed against the pillows, breathless and blinking up at the ceiling though a smile still across his lips. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

 

* * *

  
  


Around noon that day, the front door to the apartment opened. Both Sakura and Kakashi shared a glance, keeping themselves still and quiet as they waited in the silence that followed. Ino dropped her keys on the table just inside the door making Kakashi curse beneath his breath. Currently, he was sitting on the edge of the bed with Sakura on her knees in front of him, his cock in her hands. The last thing either of them wanted was to be interrupted but it was Ino’s apartment as well and she had already been gone for twelve hours. 

 

Sakura quickly reached back to shut her bedroom door with her foot with a giggle and from the hallway, her best friend heaved a heavy sigh. “Are you kidding me? You’re  _ still  _ going at it?”

 

“I’ll be out in just a minute,” Sakura singsonged, struggling to keep herself from laughing too hard. Above her, Kakashi sighed and fell back against the bed in defeat. He reached down at pulled her too her feet before standing. 

 

“It’s fine. We’ll pick this up later at my place.” He grabbed his boxers and slipped them on as Sakura stood to her feet and searched her room for her own clothes. Where had she kicked those panties off last night? Frowning, she gave up looking for them and grabbed a fresh pair out of her drawer. She threw on a pair of shorts and tank top before nodding to the door. 

 

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “Are you kidding me? I’m not going out there.”

 

“Why?”

 

“She’ll know we were doing stuff.”

 

Sakura couldn’t help giggle at the blush creeping along the tops of his cheeks. She stepped back to the bed and scooped his pants up out of the floor to hand to him. “I’m sure she suspects that already. Come on, let’s make some breakfast.” 

 

Sighing, he gave in and slipped his pants on, grabbing his mask from the floor before she pulled him out into the hallway. Inside the kitchen, Ino stood by the counter looking through the mail. She didn’t even glance up at them as they strolled around the corner. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to this.” She mumbled, though Sakura knew that she wasn’t  _ that _ upset. Besides, she knew she could just tempt her with the promise of details of their night and all would be well.

 

Kakashi stood awkwardly in the doorway, glancing between the two of them. He rubbed the back of his neck and took a step back, ready to flee back to Sakura’s bedroom. She rolled her eyes and took him by the hand, pulling him all the way into the kitchen. She entwined her fingers through his and smiled up at him. 

 

With a sigh, Ino turned to face them and crossed her arms over her chest. “So, are you two official?”

 

Sakura blushed. “I guess so.”

 

“We are,” Kakashi answered for her, making her stomach flutter with butterflies. They were  _ official _ . God, it sounded so good to hear. 

 

“And I’m the first to know?” The sparkle had returned to Ino’s blue eyes and Sakura sighed. Of course, that would be what the blonde was most concerned about. As she nodded, Ino tapped her chin in thought. “Good. Then, you have my approval. Not that you asked for it.” She flipped her pony tail over her shoulder, took the magazine she had gotten in the mail and turned to make her way toward her bedroom. 

 

“Aren’t you going to tell me who you were with last night?” Sakura called out as she left, not caring too much either way. She was just glad that she was alone again with Kakashi. He smiled behind his mask as she stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

 

“No, I think I’ll keep it a secret for a little while longer.” With that, Ino shut her bedroom door and Sakura lifted herself onto her tiptoes. 

 

She pressed a soft kiss to Kakashi’s lips and sighed as his arms wrapped around her back. He nuzzled against her neck, letting his hands travel down to her backside where he gave them a quick squeeze. “How about we get dressed, go out for breakfast, and pick up where we left off this morning back at my place.” 

 

Sakura grinned and nodded, taking his hand to lead him back to her room so they could get dressed. “That sounds perfect.”

* * *

 


End file.
